sifted; sifting; sifts
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 throughsift through a pile of old letters
3
: to scatter by or as if by sifting
sift sugar on a cake
sifter
noun
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 on the Web
Video shared by the ministry showed dozens of rescuers sifting through what remained of a section of the five-story building.
—
CBS News, 24 May 2026
What catches many survivors by surprise are the daunting and draining administrative, tax and practical tasks that follow–from tax returns and probate to sifting through a lifetime of papers and possessions.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
After a Simi Valley family’s home was destroyed in the Sandy fire, Los Angeles firefighters sifted through ash and rubble to recover a treasured wedding ring and other keepsakes.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
An excavator that had been brought in to sift through the wreckage had reached ground level, meaning that everything above it had been checked.
—Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sift
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CBS News, 24 May 2026
What catches many survivors by surprise are the daunting and draining administrative, tax and practical tasks that follow–from tax returns and probate to sifting through a lifetime of papers and possessions.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
After a Simi Valley family’s home was destroyed in the Sandy fire, Los Angeles firefighters sifted through ash and rubble to recover a treasured wedding ring and other keepsakes.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
An excavator that had been brought in to sift through the wreckage had reached ground level, meaning that everything above it had been checked.
—Rania Abouzeid, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sift
Cite this Entry
“Sift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sift. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sift
verb1
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
sift evidence
sift through a pile of papers
sifter
noun
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