sift

play

verb \ˈsift\

Definition of sift

transitive verb
1a : to put through a sieve sift flourb : 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

Algorithms such as neural networks excel in sifting signal from background, says Pushpalatha Bhat, a physicist at Fermilab.

— science news staff, Science | AAAS, "AI is changing how we do science. Get a glimpse", 5 July 2017
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "Cuvee Wine Table 'a perfect fit' for chef de cuisine", 4 July 2017
To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and salt.

— chris ross, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Angel food cake from Bankers Hill restaurant", 3 July 2017
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

— jill o'connor, sandiegouniontribune.com, "A cookbook for the love of cake", 19 June 2017
Any person with a web connection can participate in news coverage, follow contradicting reports, sift through blurry photos, and pick out (or publish) bad information.

— adrienne lafrance, The Atlantic, "The Normalization of Conspiracy Culture", 17 June 2017
What may have spurred the earliest mysticetes to split off from their ancestors, then, might have been the shift to suction feeding and sifting tasty morsels out of the bottom sediment.

— brian switek, Scientific American Blog Network, "New Fossil Fills in Missing Moment in Baleen Whale History", 14 June 2017
Now, as student attitudes toward sex trend toward the casual, college officials are sifting through case after case of what both parties frequently say started as a consensual act but then disagree over whether consent was withdrawn.

— michael gordon, charlotteobserver, "More men named in college sex assault cases are taking their accusers to court", 9 June 2017
In the airport, the researchers speculate, a stingray could be a powerful tool for sifting through a large crowd to find a criminal suspect’s phone.

— andy greenberg, WIRED, "Researchers Use Ridesharing Cars to Sniff Out a Secret Spying Tool", 2 June 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!

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

SIFT Defined for English Language Learners

sift

play

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.