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adriftfloating without being steered or controlled; lacking purpose or direction

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: floating without being steered or controlled; lacking purpose or direction

Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈdrɪft/

Example Sentences

  • After graduation, he felt completely adrift without a clear career plan.
  • The inflatable unicorn was adrift in the pool while everyone was having lunch.
  • My attention span goes adrift whenever math class starts.

adrift

ADJECTIVE

[/əˈdrɪft/]

floating without being steered or controlled; lacking purpose or direction

The small boat floats adrift on the open sea after losing its oars.
💡 Concept

The small boat floats adrift on the open sea after losing its oars.

Adrift and slow, then swift winds blow!
🎵 Rhyme

Adrift and slow, then swift winds blow!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/əˈdrɪft/
🇬🇧 UK/əˈdrɪft/

🌳Etymology

Prefixa--
Rootdrift

Origin

From Old Norse 'á drifti' meaning 'on drift' or 'in a drifting state.' The prefix 'a-' comes from Old English meaning 'in a state of,' combined with 'drift' from Norse 'drift' meaning 'something driven or floating.'

Breakdown

a- (in a state of) + drift (floating without control) = adrift (floating without being steered)

🎵Rhyme

driftshiftliftgiftswift
drift
shift
lift
gift
swift

🔗Collocations

set adrift
go adrift
cast adrift
come adrift
feel adrift

📝Examples

After graduation, he felt completely adrift without a clear career plan.

😄 Fun example

The inflatable unicorn was adrift in the pool while everyone was having lunch.

😄 Fun example

My attention span goes adrift whenever math class starts.

The company was adrift without proper leadership during the crisis.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

aimlessdirectionlesslostfloatingwandering

Antonyms

anchoredgroundeddirected

Related

driftfloatwanderstraymeander

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