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
It’s expected that players will rotate as the coaching staff sifts through all the new and returning talent that could play on special teams this fall.
—
Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
That covered a crew of six working approximately 27 days, sifting through roughly 100 square metres of dirt using 3mm mesh screens, plus Indigenous community monitoring throughout the process.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
That estimate covered a crew of six working approximately 27 days, sifting through roughly 100 square metres of dirt using 3mm mesh screens, plus Indigenous community monitoring.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Bona feels like he is sealed inside a winter globe, shaken, the music sifting and swirling down around him.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sift
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Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
That covered a crew of six working approximately 27 days, sifting through roughly 100 square metres of dirt using 3mm mesh screens, plus Indigenous community monitoring throughout the process.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
That estimate covered a crew of six working approximately 27 days, sifting through roughly 100 square metres of dirt using 3mm mesh screens, plus Indigenous community monitoring.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Bona feels like he is sealed inside a winter globe, shaken, the music sifting and swirling down around him.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 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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