drift
noun
were drifting
-
past progressiveof drift.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Clotted ribbons of trash were drifting past, from marooned vessels forced to toss rotting garbage overboard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
Stock futures were drifting lower on Sunday night as investors brace for a big week of earnings from banks and other companies and the release of December’s consumer price index.
From Barron's ● Jan. 11, 2026
Against France they got undone a bit by the way they were drifting in defence - and Scotland had done their homework.
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2025
KTLA-TV Channel 5 reports that the women in the Honda were drifting in circles through the intersection before the collision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2022
The lights of a sleeping town were drifting by.
From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan
