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
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
Noun
-
One such prize, the Nancy, was transporting 2,000 muskets, 30 tons of musket balls and a massive 15-inch brass mortar – supplies the American army desperately needed for the war effort.—
Christopher Magra,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
-
But that hasn’t stopped out-of-state reenactors from worrying their muskets will be confiscated at the George Washington Bridge, says Justin Costantino, adjutant of the Long Island Companies of the 3rd New York Regiment.—
Allen G. Breed,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Every time someone streams a movie, uses cloud storage, makes an online purchase, searches the internet or interacts with an AI chatbot, information is typically processed in a data center somewhere.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
This will, no doubt, inflate the number of AI Mode searches even more.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Edgefield, South Carolina, was a slaving town with a violent reputation, a place where men roamed with swords and pistols, ever ready to avenge an insult.—
Rob Wolfe,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
-
After police spoke to the teen and his family, but before police sought the emergency court order to confiscate guns, the father and his wife voluntarily stored 26 weapons — pistols, rifles and shotguns — with a licensed gun dealer, according to filings in the father’s case.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel combs the depths of the Vistula River day and night, caught in a grueling, endless routine and torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the fragile hope that his son may still be alive.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Barclays says that markets are more euphoric than ever, tracking it through an index that scans the options market across roughly 700 stocks for the signs of speculative chasing.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
-
Anthony scans me for a long moment.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Rifles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifles. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
