Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

driftwood

American  
[drift-wood] / ˈdrɪftˌwʊd /

noun

  1. wood floating on a body of water or cast ashore by it.

  2. such wood adapted for use in interior decoration.

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or made of driftwood.

    a driftwood lamp.
driftwood British  
/ ˈdrɪftˌwʊd /

noun

  1. wood floating on or washed ashore by the sea or other body of water

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of driftwood

First recorded in 1605–15; drift + wood 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Soldiers and police had helped clear the debris and driftwood.

From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025

Shaun Davis found the bench on Drigg beach near Seascale, which until closer inspection he said he thought was "a bit of driftwood".

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2025

In summer, add a piece driftwood with a few hanging air plants to break up space, she says.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 29, 2024

These visitors also pose a risk when they haul driftwood to start campfires, according to the staff report, potentially upsetting the ecosystem that relies on that wood and increasing the risk for wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2024

Under the direction of an older bear, the human prisoners were building a shelter out of driftwood and scraps of canvas.

From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.