sift

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verb \ ˈsift \

Definition of sift

transitive verb

1 a :to put through a sieve

sift flour

b :to separate or separate out by or as if by putting through a sieve

2 :to go through especially to sort out what is useful or valuable

sifted the evidence

—often used with through

sift through a pile of old letters

3 :to scatter by or as if by sifting

sift sugar on a cake

intransitive verb

1 :to use a sieve

2 :to pass or fall as if through a sieve

—

sifter

noun

See sift defined for English-language learners

See sift defined for kids

Examples of sift in a Sentence

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Sift the lumps from the sugar.
The police sifted the evidence in hopes of finding a clue.
The police sifted for clues.
The lawyer sifted through the hundreds of pages of testimony.
Firefighters sifted through the debris.

Recent Examples of sift from the Web

KCI proposals by the numbers Here's an example of what the Kansas City International Airport selection committee has to sift through to decide on a developer for a new KCI.

— lynn horsley, kansascity, "Ethics commission rules for councilwoman on conflict over KCI," 30 Aug. 2017
In a liquid measuring cup, use a fork to stir together the buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Sift the cake flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.

— jill o'connor, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Stone fruit harvest makes flavor-enhanced desserts," 29 Aug. 2017
With two starting spots to fill and the additions of two graduate transfers and three freshmen, Auburn's offensive line is sifting through various personnel options.

— james crepea, AL.com, "Why there's 'a lot of rotation' on Auburn offensive line early in fall camp," 8 Aug. 2017
Yale has some battles to sift through, including offensive line, which opened holes for the offense to produce 140 yards per game on the ground but also allowed eight sacks during that three-game losing streak to open the season.

— desmond conner, courant.com, "Rawlings Will Start As Yale QB; Bulldogs Picked Fourth In Preseason Ivy Poll," 8 Aug. 2017
Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

— ina garten, House Beautiful, "Ina Garten's Recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple Frosting," 2 Aug. 2017
In a separate bowl, sift together the sugar, flour and salt.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "Lemon pudding cake recipe | Corbett's," 1 Aug. 2017
Google and Tri Alpha Energy developed a new process to sift through the enormous amounts of data that detail plasma's behavior in fusion reactors.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Google's Nuclear Fusion Project Is Paying Off," 26 July 2017
His stained hands sift through jagged pieces of charcoal in his busy shop in South Sudan’s capital.

— sam mednick, The Seattle Times, "War-torn South Sudan at grave risk on climate change," 18 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sift.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sift

Middle English, from Old English siftan; akin to Old English sife sieve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

SIFT Defined for English Language Learners

sift

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verb

Definition of sift for English Language Learners

: to put (flour, sugar, etc.) through a sifter or sieve
: to separate or remove (something) by using a sifter or sieve
: to go through (something) very carefully in order to find something useful or valuable

SIFT Defined for Kids

sift

play

verb \ ˈsift \

Definition of sift for Students

sifted; sifting

1 :to pass or cause to pass through a sieve

sift flour

2 :to separate or separate out by or as if by passing through a sieve

I sifted the lumps.

3 :to test or examine carefully

Police will sift through the evidence.

—

sifter

noun

Learn More about sift

See words that rhyme with sift Spanish Central: Translation of sift Nglish: Translation of sift for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sift for Arabic speakers

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sift

Definition of sift

sifter

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Origin and Etymology of sift

SIFT Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of sift for English Language Learners

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sift

Definition of sift for Students

sifter

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SIFT Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of sift for English Language Learners

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