as in searching
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 rifling
Who better to tell the tale of the city than the man who has spent years rifling through its junk?
—
Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Guentzel, meanwhile, had a strong game, just missing a goal after rifling one off the post in the second period before tallying the team’s first goal late in the same period, a huge one.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Adding to the chaos of the moment, Courtney encountered a bear rifling through the garbage outside.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Restaurant workers saw Wyatt rifling through the vehicle, taking things out and looking for something to steal, Batista said.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 2 Jan. 2026
Heise worked her way into the left faceoff circle before rifling a shot just under the crossbar to give the Frost the win and keep Vancouver winless on the road.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Best All-Time NFL Wide Receivers Starting slow in the NFL matters more than ending the season with a win streak, unless that win streak is rifling off 8-10 wins.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Guentzel, meanwhile, had a strong game, just missing a goal after rifling one off the post in the second period before tallying the team’s first goal late in the same period, a huge one.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Adding to the chaos of the moment, Courtney encountered a bear rifling through the garbage outside.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Restaurant workers saw Wyatt rifling through the vehicle, taking things out and looking for something to steal, Batista said.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 2 Jan. 2026
Heise worked her way into the left faceoff circle before rifling a shot just under the crossbar to give the Frost the win and keep Vancouver winless on the road.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Best All-Time NFL Wide Receivers Starting slow in the NFL matters more than ending the season with a win streak, unless that win streak is rifling off 8-10 wins.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifling
Verb
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As police were searching for a suspect inside the Islamic center, dispatchers got calls that a landscaper may have been shot at blocks away, Wahl said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
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This was not an adequate explanation, and the woman was now looking back over her shoulder, as if searching for help.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Gonce would call and call, scanning the street, her mind racing.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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The Kansas City Chiefs' 2026-2027 schedule dropped on May 14 and Swifties are already scanning the calendar — including ticket sites — for home games as the superstar eyes a potential return to Arrowhead Stadium for a fourth season.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Use marabou jigs, jigs tipped with one- to two-inch minnows and spoons for combing these deeper areas.—
John Phillips,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
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While combing through coral, Harasti spotted a unique and wholly unfamiliar creature swimming through the water.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rifling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifling. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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