# adrift

/əˈdɹɪft/ (US) · /ɐdɹˈɪft/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adrift
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "an adrift boat" but "a boat adrift" — Adrift is an 'a-' adjective and typically follows the noun or a linking verb rather than preceding the noun.

## Usage notes

- Used predicatively after a verb; rarely placed before a noun.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.