A tendency at sea (6)

I believe the answer is:

adrift

'at sea' is the definition.
(drifting at sea)

'a tendency' is the wordplay.
'tendency' becomes 'drift' (drift is a kind of tendency).
'a'+'drift'='ADRIFT'

(Other definitions for adrift that I've seen before include "not settled" , "Not anchored, floating freely" , "Floating unattached as at sea" , "without guidance?" , "Unanchored - lost" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.