draft
drahft
Draft (noun) means an early, unfinished version of a piece of writing. Example: “She sent me the first draft of her novel.”
noun
1
An early, unfinished version of a piece of writing.
"She sent me the first draft of her novel."
"I need to revise this draft before the deadline."
"This is only a rough draft, so please ignore the spelling mistakes."
2
A current of air moving through an enclosed space.
"There's a cold draft coming from under the door."
"Close the window, because the draft is making the whole room cold."
"A sudden draft blew the papers off the desk."
3
(US) Compulsory enlistment into military service; conscription.
"Thousands of young men were called up in the draft."
"In the United States, many people once feared being chosen in the draft."
"His uncle was called up by the draft and sent to training camp."
4
The process of selecting players for professional sports teams.
"The team's first pick in the draft was a college quarterback."
"Fans gathered around the television to watch their club pick players in the draft."
"She hopes to be chosen in the draft after a strong college season."
verb
1
To write a preliminary version of something.
"The lawyer drafted a new contract overnight."
"I will draft a reply tonight and show it to you tomorrow."
"The committee is drafting a letter to the local council."
adj
1
Served from a cask or keg rather than a bottle or can.
"They only serve draft beer at that pub."
"Would you like a pint of draft cider or something from a bottle?"
"The bar has six draft taps and a short list of bottled drinks."
How to use draft
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rough first version of something written, or — in other senses — a flow of air, forced military service, or picking players for a team.
UK vs US
British English generally keeps the older spelling "draught" for beer and air currents, but uses "draft" for a rough written version and for money orders; American English uses "draft" for all of these.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
first draft
draft beer
military draft
draft pick
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like draft.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- drafts
- Third person singular
- drafts
- Past tense
- drafted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She sent me the first _____ of her novel.
Etymology
A phonetic respelling of "draught," from Old English dreaht, related to "draw."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for draft
See all rhymes for draft →Frequently asked questions
What does “draft” mean?
The word “draft” means an early, unfinished version of a piece of writing. In plain terms, a rough first version of something written, or — in other senses — a flow of air, forced military service, or picking players for a team.
How do you pronounce “draft”?
“Draft” is pronounced drahft (/dɹæft/ in IPA).
How do you use “draft” in a sentence?
Here is “draft” used in a sentence: “She sent me the first draft of her novel.”
What part of speech is “draft”?
Depending on how it is used, “draft” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “draft” come from?
The word “draft” comes from Old English. A phonetic respelling of "draught," from Old English dreaht, related to "draw.".
Is “draft” a common word?
“Draft” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “draft” have?
“Draft” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an early, unfinished version of a piece of writing.
What is the difference between draft and draught?
In American English, "draft" covers every sense — a version of writing, a current of air, beer from a tap, and military conscription. British English splits these: "draught" handles the air current and beer, while "draft" stays for a piece of writing or a bank draft. Same pronunciation, different spellings by region.
What are the types of a draft?
Writers usually speak of a rough or first draft, the very first attempt where ideas are captured loosely; a second or working draft, where structure and argument are tightened; and a final draft, the polished version ready to share. Each stage moves the writing closer to a finished, more considered form.
Why is writing a draft important?
A draft lets you get ideas down without worrying about perfection, separating the messy work of thinking from the careful work of editing. It gives you something concrete to revise, spot weaknesses in, and reshape. Almost no strong piece of writing appears fully formed; it emerges through successive drafts.
What is an example of a draft?
A student jotting a loose, unstructured version of an essay before refining it is writing a draft. So is a novelist's messy first attempt at a chapter, or the marked-up early copy of a speech. Any early, incomplete version created with the intention of revising it later counts.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include draft:
