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
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
Ovechkin then rifled home a wrister from the left circle to end a four-game goal drought and give the hosts a 5-1 lead near the midpoint of the second period.
—Oc Register, 5 Jan. 2026
Tampa Bay erased a one-goal deficit when Jake Guentzel got behind Florida’s special teams backline and rifled a short past Sergei Bobrovsky.
—Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 28 Dec. 2025
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
Ovechkin then rifled home a wrister from the left circle to end a four-game goal drought and give the hosts a 5-1 lead near the midpoint of the second period.
—Oc Register, 5 Jan. 2026
Tampa Bay erased a one-goal deficit when Jake Guentzel got behind Florida’s special teams backline and rifled a short past Sergei Bobrovsky.
—Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifled
Verb
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At that point, Wise County deputies searched the FedEx truck for Athena but did not find her.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Following the business owner’s disappearance, law enforcement and volunteers have repeatedly searched the surrounding area.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Puryear has created an outdoor sculpture to honor the late civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis via Bending the Arc, a 34-foot-long beam that Puryear hand-carved in wood and then was 3D-scanned and fabricated in stainless steel.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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For classics that lack CAD designs, the cars can be scanned to make computer models for reproduction.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The eponymous public relations firm his father founded in 1952 has ridden — and shaped — the growth of its industry to become the world’s largest communications group, with annual revenues of almost $1 billion.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
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Bob Baker, founded in 1963 by its namesake puppeteer, now attracts more than 145,000 audience members per year, including about 20,000 students via school field trips.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To investigate the question, the team first combed through genomic, metabolic, and other data.—
Brianna Abbott,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
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Police sealed off the building and blocked several roads, while forensic experts in white protective suits combed the area for evidence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rifled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifled. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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