adrift
/əˈdrɪft/ (bre, ipa) · [ədrˈɪft] /əˈdrɪft/ (ame, ipa) · [ədrˈɪft] /ə-ˈdrift/ (ame, mw)
adrift — adjective
- adriftpositive
- more adriftcomparative
- most adriftsuperlative
1. floating freely on water with no ropes or anchors holding it in place, often bec
floating freely on water with no ropes or anchors holding it in place, often because of damage or a problem that leaves it uncontrolled.
After the storm, the fishing boat was found adrift near the coast.
be found adrift + location
The small vessel broke adrift from its mooring during the typhoon.
break adrift from [mooring]
Rescuers spotted two people adrift on a piece of wreckage in the ocean.
The crew sent a distress signal after their ship was left adrift by the engine failure.
Fishermen found the yacht adrift with no one on board.
- drifting
emphasises the movement itself rather than the untethered state
- loose
broader meaning; can apply to things on land as well
- unanchored
specifically suggests the absence of an anchor; more formal
- unmoored
suggests having been deliberately or accidentally released from a mooring
文法句型
be adrift
come adrift
set adrift
break adrift
用法筆記
Used predicatively — the adjective almost always follows the noun it describes ('the boat was adrift'), rather than preceding it ('an adrift boat'). Common in set phrases: 'come adrift', 'break adrift'.
常見錯誤
2. feeling that one has no clear goal, plan, or meaningful way to live one's life o
feeling that one has no clear goal, plan, or meaningful way to live one's life or spend one's days.
After graduating, Rohan felt adrift and unsure about what career to pursue.
feel adrift + question clause
The novel tells the story of a young woman adrift in a foreign city with no plans.
Without her daily routine, Elena felt completely adrift during her retirement.
After her parents split up, thirteen-year-old Yuki felt adrift, moving between two homes every week.
The documentary follows three students adrift in a system that offers few opportunities.
- lost
stronger emotional distress; implies confusion and disorientation
- directionless
focuses on the lack of a clear goal; more neutral than 'adrift'
- aimless
suggests absence of intent or purpose; similar register
- rootless
implies a lack of belonging or connection, not just purpose
- purposeful
having a clear aim in life
- grounded
emotionally stable and connected
- settled
having a stable situation and clear direction
文法句型
feel adrift
be adrift
adrift in [place/situation]
用法筆記
Describes an emotional or psychological state, not a physical situation. Subject is usually a person or group of people. Frequently paired with 'feel' or 'be'.
常見錯誤
3. no longer properly fixed or fastened in the correct position; having become loos
no longer properly fixed or fastened in the correct position; having become loose or dislodged from where it should be.
One of the roof tiles came adrift during the typhoon and almost fell off.
come adrift + during [event]
After years of use, the screws on the bookshelf came adrift and the shelf tilted sideways.
A loose pipe came adrift in the basement, flooding the storage room.
The strap on Mei-Lin's backpack had come adrift, so she had to sew it back on.
Several panels on the garden fence were adrift after the windstorm.
- loose
broader; 'adrift' implies something came loose from its proper position
- detached
suggests a complete separation rather than just loosening
- unfastened
describes the state of not being tied or closed
- dislodged
implies something was forced out of its position
文法句型
come adrift
work adrift
be adrift
用法筆記
Always describes a physical object that was once fixed in place and has become loose. Never used for people. The phrase 'come adrift' is the most common pattern.
常見錯誤
4. describes a plan, project, negotiation, or process that has failed or gone off c
describes a plan, project, negotiation, or process that has failed or gone off course and is not producing the intended outcome.
The peace talks went adrift when neither side would compromise on the border.
go adrift + when [clause]
Our travel plans went completely adrift after the airline cancelled all flights.
go completely adrift — intensifier + collocation
The marketing campaign came adrift because the budget was cut in half.
Chen's careful strategy went adrift when a new competitor entered the market.
The construction project went adrift after the main contractor went bankrupt.
- off course
suggests deviation rather than complete failure
- unsuccessful
more general and formal; 'adrift' has a sense of gradual collapse
- off the rails
informal; similar meaning to 'adrift' for plans
- failing
focuses on the process of failure rather than the state
- on track
proceeding as planned
- successful
achieving the intended outcome
- on schedule
proceeding at the planned pace
文法句型
go adrift
come adrift
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively with the verbs 'go' or 'come'. Never used for people in this sense — only for abstract things like plans, strategies, talks, or projects. Has a similar meaning to 'go off the rails' but is slightly less informal.
常見錯誤
adrift — adverb
1. describes the way a boat or object moves when it is released untied or uncontrol
describes the way a boat or object moves when it is released untied or uncontrolled — used after action verbs such as 'cast', 'set', or 'sweep' to show the result of the action, rather than describing a static state.
The lifeboat was cast adrift after the engine failed during the voyage.
be cast adrift — set phrase
A strong current swept the kayak adrift into open water.
Someone cut the mooring ropes, and the boat was set adrift at midnight.
The sailors were cast adrift in a small raft after the fire destroyed their ship.
Waves carried the surfboard adrift, leaving Diego to swim back to shore.
- loose
can function adverbially in similar contexts ('break loose')
- free
broader; 'adrift' adds the sense of being without control
- unanchored
specifically indicates the absence of an anchor
文法句型
cast adrift
set adrift
drift adrift
sweep adrift
用法筆記
Common in the set phrases 'cast adrift' and 'set adrift', which describe the act of releasing a boat or people into the water without control. The adverb follows the verb directly.
常見錯誤
2. in a state of being without the guidance, support, or security that one previous
in a state of being without the guidance, support, or security that one previously had, so as to feel lost or vulnerable.
After the company closed, hundreds of workers were cast adrift with no savings.
be cast adrift — metaphorical abandonment
The orphanage closure left dozens of children adrift in an overburdened system.
His resignation sent the whole department adrift with no one in charge.
When the scholarship programme ended, the students were left adrift financially.
The sudden loss of funding left the research team adrift and unable to continue.
文法句型
cast adrift
leave adrift
set adrift
用法筆記
Always used in a passive or resultative construction with verbs like 'cast', 'leave', or 'set', followed by an agent or cause introduced by 'by' or 'with'. The subject is typically a person or group of people, not an object.