cleft

as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure my fishing line managed to get wedged in a cleft in the rocks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cleft Valproic acid causes birth defects that can be detected in utero such as oral clefts or spina bifida. Almut Winterstein, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2025 Now that she’s become well known not only for her art and fashion, but for being a cleft advocate, speaking around the country about her experience with a cleft lip and palate, Glasses has been traveling a lot for personal appearances, which leaves precious little time for weaving. Booth Moore, WWD, 29 Oct. 2024 This bacteria is commonly carried in the nostrils, between the legs, in the armpits, and in the cleft between the buttocks. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024 And a deep cleft, like something left by a hatchet, above the bridge of my nose. Forrest Gander, The New York Review of Books, 12 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cleft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleft
Noun
  • The holiday came amid a rift distancing the King, 76, from his younger son, the Duke of Sussex, in a fissure that won't seem to heal.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 15 June 2025
  • The fissures are there for anyone who dares see them.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The device includes attachments such as a dust brush and a crevice tool, meaning it can be used for cleaning upholstery and stairs, along with getting into nooks and crannies.
    Toni Sutton, People.com, 13 June 2025
  • Native to northern Vietnam, especially in humid, mountainous forests and limestone karst landscapes, the barking frog often hides in tree holes or rocky crevices near water.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cleft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleft. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

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