rift

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: a clear space or interval
3

rift

2 of 2

verb

rifted; rifting; rifts

intransitive verb

: to burst open

transitive verb

1
: cleave, divide
hills were rifted by the earthquake
2

Examples of rift in a Sentence

Noun The fight will only widen the rift with his brother. the rift in the rock We could see some stars through the rifts in the clouds. Scientists are studying the Mid-Atlantic Rift.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In the past, societal rifts have been observed between different generations, but according to the FT’s analyses, this century, for the first time, a real ideological gap has emerged and developed within the same generation of young men and women. Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 And then there is the intense political division, misinformation and familial rifts that surface in the run-up to a presidential election. Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 And if Trump can win McConnell's backing, despite a deep rift between the two men and their approach to leading the GOP — along with weighty personal grievances — little stands between Trump and total sway over the party. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024 The practice of diverting conversations can lead to confusion, causing a rift between partners. Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Their teenage son, Xavier, suspects a rift between them, but avoids interfering. Kayla Maiuri, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2024 The historic rift in the United Methodist Church is part of a larger split in recent years in the Christian religion over issues of gender and sexuality. Kayla Jimenez, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 This fight has reached the Supreme Court level in part because an appeals court in Florida declared that state’s version of the law unconstitutional, while a separate appeals court allowed the Texas law to stand, creating a legal rift. Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 23 Feb. 2024 Apart from geopolitical rifts and an uncertain economic outlook, foreign companies and investors have grown increasingly wary of domestic political risks in China, including the possibility of raids and detentions. Diksha Madhok, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
However, the supercontinent began to rift and splinter in the late Triassic about 230 million years ago. Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022 The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019 Collectively, the two plates are also rifting away from the Arabian Plate, which already separates Africa from the Middle East. Susmita Baral, Teen Vogue, 13 Apr. 2018 That is, for fall, alongside rifted-upon replicas of archival pieces, Balenciaga sent out tote bags in fuchsia taffeta and feathers to match the flouncy dresses. Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian rift fissure, Old Norse rīfa to rive — more at rive

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of rift was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rift

Cite this Entry

“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rift. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rift

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: an opening made by splitting or separation : cleft
b
: a normal geological fault
2
: a break in friendly relations : breach

rift

2 of 2 verb

More from Merriam-Webster on rift

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