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View synonyms for

drifter

[drif-ter]

noun

  1. a person or thing that drifts.

  2. a person who goes from place to place, job to job, etc., remaining in each for a short period.

  3. Also called drift boat.a boat used in fishing with a drift net.



drifter

/ ˈɪڳə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that drifts

  2. a person who moves aimlessly from place to place, usually without a regular job

  3. a boat used for drift-net fishing

  4. nautical a large jib of thin material used in light breezes

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of drifter1

First recorded in 1860–65; drift + -er 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The buildings are frequented at night by the kind of drifters and petty criminals that Brückner once was.

From

A drifter, he lived in Portugal's Algarve region, on and off, for years.

From

“A man makes his choices,” Baldwin’s crusty, guilt-ridden drifter says to his grandkid at one point.

From

Kristofferson turned that tale into the story of two drifters, who find love on the road and are separated, eventually, by death.

From

Benji, something of a chatty drifter, has never quite found himself, at least not by David’s standards.

From

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driftboltdriftfish