When someone drifts away, it can feel like they're moving farther and farther out of reach. Fortunately, there are many synonyms for this phrase that can help us describe this feeling more precisely. Some possible alternatives include: fades away, slips away, recedes, drifts apart, grows distant, moves away, strays, wanders, and departs. Each of these phrases brings a slightly different nuance to the idea of someone moving away, whether it be a slow and gradual process like fading away or a sudden and jarring one like departing. By using these synonyms, we can more precisely convey the complex emotions of a relationship that's slipping away from us.