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
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
—
Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025
The vast encyclopedic architecture of Gravity’s Rainbow (1973) or Mason & Dixon (1997) gives way here to a series of detective fictions each set in a distinct historical moment, each featuring a reluctant investigator sifting through the wreckage of cultural paranoia.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
In a large bowl, sift all-purpose flour with sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
Robin Greenfield has sifted through about 3,000 dumpsters across 25 states over the last decade.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sift
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Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025
The vast encyclopedic architecture of Gravity’s Rainbow (1973) or Mason & Dixon (1997) gives way here to a series of detective fictions each set in a distinct historical moment, each featuring a reluctant investigator sifting through the wreckage of cultural paranoia.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
In a large bowl, sift all-purpose flour with sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
Robin Greenfield has sifted through about 3,000 dumpsters across 25 states over the last decade.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sift
Cite this Entry
“Sift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sift. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
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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