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
As rooms are emptied and belongings packed, the film sifts through memories, displacement, and the uneasy question of belonging, capturing the uncertainty of a life built, then abruptly uprooted, in a place that was home but never fully theirs.
—
Essie Assibu, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
His superpower is sifting through mountains of bureaucratic paperwork, finding patterns that help solve cases.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Nov. 2025
Team members sifted through nine cubic metres of backfill, searching for bits of bone or pottery.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Just sift the flour or whisk it well before measuring and baking.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sift
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Essie Assibu, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
His superpower is sifting through mountains of bureaucratic paperwork, finding patterns that help solve cases.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Nov. 2025
Team members sifted through nine cubic metres of backfill, searching for bits of bone or pottery.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Just sift the flour or whisk it well before measuring and baking.
—Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 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 30 Nov. 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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