drifted
Moved without direction
Drifted is the past tense of drift—to move slowly without direction or control.
Snow drifted against the fence.
A boat drifted downstream.
Figuratively, someone who drifted off fell asleep gradually, and a conversation that drifted moved from topic to topic without purpose: We drifted from politics to old movies to whether dogs dream.
Stayed above water
- glidedMoved without apparent effort
- wanderedMoved without fixed course
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
- roamedTraveled without fixed course
shifted · strayed · coasted · sailed · veered · slid · migrated · traveled
Moved without fixed course
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
- strayedMoved off course
- roamedTraveled without fixed course
- directionlessWithout aim or guidance
purposeless · unfocused · lost · disoriented · listless · undirected · aimlessly · idly
Put or kept apart
- distancedCreated separation from
- estrangedSeparated by emotional distance
- disconnectedSeparated from a source
- divergedSeparated from a course
alienated · detached · withdrawn · isolated · faded · loosened · grew apart · lost touch
Stayed above water
- bobbedCropped or nodded
- buoyedSupported from below
- raftedTraveled on floating platform
- currentDirected flow of charge
stream · tide · downstream · seaward · riptide · undertow · eddy · paddled
Gradually collected or gathered
- piledPlaced in layers
- bankedTilted on a curve
- blanketedCovered entirely, uniformly
- moundedFormed into a pile
blizzard · whiteout · powder · flurry · snowbound · windswept · snowbank · buried
At reduced speed
- imperceptiblyBelow detection threshold
- graduallyIn slow stages
- subtlyWith quiet nuance
- unconsciouslyWithout being aware
inevitably · steadily · naturally · eventually · progressively · incrementally · unnoticed · gently
floated
Stayed above water
- glidedMoved without apparent effort
- wanderedMoved without fixed course
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
roamed · shifted · strayed · coasted · sailed · veered · slid · migrated · traveled · moved
wandered
Moved without fixed course
directionless · purposeless · unfocused · lost · disoriented · listless · undirected · aimlessly · idly · randomly
separated
Put or kept apart
- distancedCreated separation from
- estrangedSeparated by emotional distance
- disconnectedSeparated from a source
diverged · alienated · detached · withdrawn · isolated · faded · loosened · grew apart · lost touch · relationship
floated
Stayed above water
current · stream · tide · downstream · seaward · riptide · undertow · eddy · paddled · canoe
accumulated
Gradually collected or gathered
mounded · blizzard · whiteout · powder · flurry · snowbound · windswept · snowbank · buried · covered
slowly
At reduced speed
- imperceptiblyBelow detection threshold
- graduallyIn slow stages
- subtlyWith quiet nuance
unconsciously · inevitably · steadily · naturally · eventually · progressively · incrementally · unnoticed · gently · softly
- drifted offGradually fell asleep
- drift offBegin sleeping gradually
- drifting offGradually entering sleep
- drift awayGradually move apart
- drifted apartGradually lost closeness
- drift apartGradually become estranged
drift, drifting, drifter, adrift, drifts, driftwood, snowdrift, drift off, driftnet