adrift

Meaning 1: when describing movement

Floating without being steered or anchored.

Examples

• The life raft was found adrift several miles from the coast.
• We spent the afternoon watching the fallen leaves drift aimlessly adrift on the pond.

Meaning 2: when describing people

lacking purpose or direction in life

Examples

• He felt completely adrift after graduating from university.
• Without a mentor, the young artist was left adrift in the city.

Pronunciation: /əˈdrɪft/

How to Use adrift

set adrift (collocation)

to release something or someone to float away — "The sailors set the small boat adrift to save it from the rising tide."

come adrift (collocation)

to become detached or loose — "The rope came adrift during the storm, causing the boat to float away."

Synonyms of adrift

Words with a similar meaning to adrift:

• loose
• floating
• aimless
• unmoored

Antonyms of adrift

Words with the opposite meaning to adrift:

• anchored
• moored