# drift apart

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drift-apart
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to slowly lose a close relationship with someone over time. You use this when you and a friend stop talking or seeing each other as much as you used to.

For teachers: to gradually become less intimate or friendly, typically due to a loss of common interests or lack of contact. The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

## Examples

- My best friend and I started to drift apart after college.
- Although they were inseparable in childhood, the two brothers began to drift apart as their career paths diverged.
- The study examines how long-distance couples often drift apart when they fail to establish shared goals for the future.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They drifted apart their friendship." but "They drifted apart." — the verb is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.

## Usage notes

- usually describes the gradual end of a friendship or romantic relationship.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'break up' to show the difference between a sudden, intentional end and a slow, unintentional one.

---

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.