rifles 1 of 2

noun

plural of rifle
as in shotguns

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rifles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rifle
as in searches
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rifles
Verb
With four minutes until penalties, Spain venture forward, Cesc Fabregas slips in Iniesta, who rifles it home to win the World Cup. — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026 Before Poeltl can complete the double-team, Towns looks to the 3-point line then rifles a right-handed pass over his own head to Bridges for the easy two under the rim. — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifles
  1. muskets
  2. searches
  3. pistols
  4. combs
  5. scans
  6. rakes
Noun
  • Back then, students halted studies to pick up rifles, muskets, and bayonets.
    — Ira Porter, Christian Science Monitor, 3 July 2026
  • The new United States needed muskets, cannons, ammunition, uniforms, cloth, food and credit.
    — R. Grant Gilmore III, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of muskets
Verb
  • The agency has also sent staff to Anson County to help run the elections office while the county searches for new leadership.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026
  • More qubits could make the problem worse The team analyzed the adiabatic version of Grover’s search algorithm, a famous quantum algorithm that searches unsorted databases much faster than classical methods.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of searches
Noun
  • According to a criminal complaint, police recovered two semiautomatic pistols and a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle from Foster’s home.
    — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • Prime Video’s upcoming live-action refresh puts Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner behind Croft’s signature dual pistols in a series that will also boast the onscreen talents of Sigourney Weaver and Jason Isaacs, among others.
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Definition of pistols
Verb
  • Another founder, Sheridan Clayborne, built an AI agent that combs the internet for the best credit card and banking deals, netting him thousands of dollars.
    — Margaux MacColl, Vanity Fair, 14 July 2026
  • Zayas also combs through the dark web, a criminal haven on the internet where anonymous threat actors try to cause real-world harm.
    — Heather Abbott, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Definition of combs
Verb
  • Consider its standard features, including an adaptive suspension that scans the road and adjusts the ride accordingly.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
  • And for all the whinging about the cast’s racial diversity, the actor who in some ways reads least as an ancient Greek is Matt Damon, whose Odysseus scans as American, which is almost certainly the point.
    — Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026
Definition of scans
Verb
  • Then, as the afternoon sunshine rakes across the river valley, the group will return to the Birdwing—where canvas and paints await, according to a news release.
    — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Participants are encouraged to bring their own shovel, gloves, and rakes as limited tools will be provided at the event.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of rakes

Browse Nearby Words

riflemen
rifles
rifling
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Cite this Entry

“Rifles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifles. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rifles

Nglish: Translation of rifles for Spanish Speakers

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