as in searched
to look through (as a place) carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something
rifled the desk drawer in search of the insurance policy
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Recent Examples of rifled
And the ensuing batter, Jordan Bach, rifled a 381-foot homer — his seventh of the season.
—
Gary Bedore
may 23, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Nathan MacKinnon rifled in a goal, tacked on an empty-netter and assisted on another tally by Devon Toews, whose defense partner, Cale Makar, also scored.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Josh Eernisse picked the puck out of a faceoff scrum at the right dot and rifled a wrist shot into the top corner to even the score.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
Down 0-2 in the count to the Orioles’ Kyle Bradish in his first big league at-bat, Griffin rifled a double to left-center and then used his blazing speed to come around and score on Jared Triolo’s ensuing single to right.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Noel Caliskan played a short pass to the right corner of the penalty area, where Gozo flicked it up in the air and rifled a volley into the net.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
The score stayed that way until Hughes, a New Jersey Devils’ forward, rifled a shot under Binnington’s pads for his fourth score of the tournament, ending both the game and the Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The junior then rifled a cross towards the near post, where a cutting Annabel Grentz headed it into the bottom-right corner, handing the Patriots the 2-1 advantage.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Ovechkin then rifled home a wrister from the left circle to end a four-game goal drought.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Gary Bedore
may 23, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Nathan MacKinnon rifled in a goal, tacked on an empty-netter and assisted on another tally by Devon Toews, whose defense partner, Cale Makar, also scored.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Josh Eernisse picked the puck out of a faceoff scrum at the right dot and rifled a wrist shot into the top corner to even the score.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026
Down 0-2 in the count to the Orioles’ Kyle Bradish in his first big league at-bat, Griffin rifled a double to left-center and then used his blazing speed to come around and score on Jared Triolo’s ensuing single to right.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Noel Caliskan played a short pass to the right corner of the penalty area, where Gozo flicked it up in the air and rifled a volley into the net.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
The score stayed that way until Hughes, a New Jersey Devils’ forward, rifled a shot under Binnington’s pads for his fourth score of the tournament, ending both the game and the Games.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
The junior then rifled a cross towards the near post, where a cutting Annabel Grentz headed it into the bottom-right corner, handing the Patriots the 2-1 advantage.
—Clark Fahrenthold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Ovechkin then rifled home a wrister from the left circle to end a four-game goal drought.
—CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifled
Verb
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Police searched Alvarez and discovered two plates of military-grade body armor in the trunk of his car, according to the criminal complaint.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies on Friday searched a medical building in Carmichael after receiving what turned about to be unfounded reports of an intruder.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The rookie scanned the floor before stepping back and draining a 3-pointer over the league’s most popular player.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
Wiliot said these real-time and always-on sensors set themselves apart from RFID or barcodes, whose data are only as good as the last time the code was scanned.—
Roy Stephen Canivel,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The backstory The property opened in March 2015 as the first hotel of the 1 Hotels brand founded by Barry Sternlight, and resides in the former Gansevoort Hotel.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
The Tea Party, that movement of grass-roots right-wing anger that evolved into MAGA, was founded the same year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Firefighters then evacuated residents from a nearby apartment complex, and others combed through the debris of the two-story building, searching for people who may have been trapped.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
-
There’s the distinctive blond tuft, combed over.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rifled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifled. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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