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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Recent Examples of cleft
The group of four were scaling the Early Winters Spires, jagged peaks split by a cleft that is popular with climbers in the North Cascade Range, about 160 miles northeast of Seattle.
—
CBS News, 14 May 2025
But today, the most important political cleft is not the fading distinction between right and left, but the rising conflict between liberal and illiberal, democratic and autocratic.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cleft
CBS News, 14 May 2025
But today, the most important political cleft is not the fading distinction between right and left, but the rising conflict between liberal and illiberal, democratic and autocratic.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cleft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleft
Noun
-
With the Fed already split along ideological lines, the fissure could grow deeper if former Governor Kevin Warsh is confirmed as the next central bank chair.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Rupert Wyatt, the filmmaker behind Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was at the helm, exiting and returning to the project amid creative fissures.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The odor comes from food particles and bacteria trapped on the surface or in cracks and crevices.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
20 Feb. 2026
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Overlapping food means that the hot convection air won’t be able to touch every corner and crevice of your chicken finger, leaving it in danger of becoming soggy.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleft. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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