Definition of cleftnext
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

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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 Reaching the beach requires descending a narrow ladder through a cleft in the rock, making the arrival nearly as memorable as the snorkeling itself. — Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026 From his flat top, cleft chin, starched collar, and tight shirt to the crease in his trousers tucked into black boots. — Literary Hub, 27 Mar. 2026 Along with the Antwerp Six, Martin Margiela put the small Belgian city of Antwerp on the international fashion radar, founding his house in 1988 and introducing cleft-toed boots, deconstructed clothes and all-white stores to the fashion lexicon. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026 Apparently growing out of the cleft between her breasts was a large mauve orchid. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cleft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleft
Noun
  • That election, in Bill Clinton's first term, highlighted deep societal fissures and economic instability.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Marxist rule In the years after independence, significant fissures—both ideological and practical—were opening in South Yemen within the ruling NLF and its successor, the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP).
    — Manfred W. Wenner All, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Sprinkle salt mixture all over outside of the turkey as well as inside the cavity of the turkey, patting to adhere and nudging some into every crevice.
    — Andy Baraghani, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Crabs and mussels, prehistoric bugs, bits of seaweed, tiny minnows, they all get deposited, then stranded, in the cracks and crevices on top of these massive rocks.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cleft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleft. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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