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Synonyms

drafty

American  
[draf-tee, drahf-] / ˈdræf ti, ˈdrɑf- /
especially British, draughty

adjective

draftier, draftiest

  1. characterized by or admitting currents of air, usually uncomfortable.

drafty British  
/ ˈdrɑːftɪ /

adjective

  1. the usual US spelling of draughty

"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

Other Word Forms

  • draftily adverb
  • draftiness noun

Etymology

Origin of drafty

First recorded in 1840–50; draft + -y 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.

“A gap year,” it was called, as if the Celtics were going to bolt off to a drafty Paris flat and pretend to read Sartre.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

So Marchiano, who also lacks the budget to replace drafty old windows, avoids the colder rooms.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

If you’re not sure about moving to this big, old, drafty pile, say no.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

"It's going to want that warmth, it's not going to want to be in a drafty spot," he says - but they should be kept out of direct sunlight.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

Even though it was April it was freezing cold at night and she said You wouldn’t believe what it costs to heat this drafty old house.

From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff

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.