Word
adrift
US/əˈdɹɪft/
UK/ɐdɹˈɪft/
Definition
adj. floating on the water without being tied to anything or controlled by anyone. You can also use it to describe a person who feels lost or has no clear purpose in life.
adj. floating without being moored or steered; by extension, lacking a sense of purpose or direction. Often follows a linking verb such as 'be', 'feel', or 'seem'.
Examples
“The small boat was adrift in the middle of the lake.”
“After losing his job of twenty years, he felt completely adrift and unsure of his next move.”
“The vessel was found adrift several miles offshore, its engines silent and its crew nowhere to be seen, sparking an immediate investigation by the coastguard.”
Examples
simple
“The small boat was adrift in the middle of the lake.”
contextual
“After losing his job of twenty years, he felt completely adrift and unsure of his next move.”
complex
“The vessel was found adrift several miles offshore, its engines silent and its crew nowhere to be seen, sparking an immediate investigation by the coastguard.”
Usage
Used predicatively after a verb; rarely placed before a noun.
Pitfall
an adrift boat
a boat adrift
Adrift is an 'a-' adjective and typically follows the noun or a linking verb rather than preceding the noun.
Real-World Examples
“People feel adrift, they don’t understand or feel a connection to the place they thought they knew.” “A father and his two young sons spent a night adrift before being rescued off the coast of the island of Koh Samui.” Etymology
From a- + drift.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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