Drifting vs Passing

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Drifting

Top 2,000 (common)

Passing

Top 2,000 (common) C1 noun

	Drifting	Passing
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ˈdrɪftɪŋ// 🇺🇸 //ˈdrɪftɪŋ//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈpɑːsɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈpæsɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	Moving slowly and without a specific direction.	going by something or someone; not stopping
Example	The boat was drifting peacefully on the calm lake.	The colour of the wood darkens with the passing of time.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	C1
Part of speech		noun
Collocations	drifting away, drifting on water, drifting thoughts, drifting in the wind, drifting plans	untimely, lament, mourn, mark, the passing of the years, the passing of time, untimely, lament, mourn, mark, the passing of the years, the passing of time
Antonyms	anchored, focused, directed	stopping, remaining, lingering
Common mistakes	Confused with 'drifted' - remember 'drifting' is present continuous., Using in a context that requires a specific direction or purpose., Assuming it only relates to physical movement, neglecting metaphorical uses.	Confused with 'passing' as in 'passing an exam' instead of the action of moving by., Used incorrectly in phrases like 'passing go' which are not standard., Forget to use 'by' when mentioning something or someone while passing.
Usage notes	Use 'drifting' when describing something that moves aimlessly, often in a leisurely or relaxed manner. It's less formal and can be used in casual conversations.	Use 'passing' when referring to something that happens quickly or a short amount of time. It can also refer to a casual reference to someone who is not staying long. Avoid in formal writing.

See it in real clips

Avengers › Avengers Endgame

You're drifting left.

Drifting

mostly to people passing through,

and saw the killing through the last two cars of the passing elevated train, right?

Sherlock › S1 E1

Oh, just passing the time.

mostly to people passing through,

and saw the killing through the last two cars of the passing elevated train, right?

Passing

Frequently asked questions: Drifting vs Passing

What's the difference between Drifting and Passing?

Drifting: Moving slowly and without a specific direction. Passing: going by something or someone; not stopping

Can you show an example of each?

Drifting: The boat was drifting peacefully on the calm lake. Passing: The colour of the wood darkens with the passing of time.

Can I use Drifting and Passing interchangeably?

Not always. Drifting and Passing are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.