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as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
it was possible to peek through the rift in the fence and see the ball game
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to rupture
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rift
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
LeBron James downplayed any suggestion of a rift between him and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss on Thursday following an ESPN report that detailed how the now-minority owner of the team had started to turn on the Lakers superstar.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for rift
Noun
Days after Brooklyn Peltz Beckham exposed the depth of his rift with his parents, David and Victoria Beckham, in a blistering Instagram post, the DJ who performed at his wedding has offered his account of the now-infamous dance that contributed to the feud.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
LeBron James downplayed any suggestion of a rift between him and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss on Thursday following an ESPN report that detailed how the now-minority owner of the team had started to turn on the Lakers superstar.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
However, the supercontinent began to rift and splinter in the late Triassic about 230 million years ago.
—Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for rift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rift
Noun
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The peak of Yosemite’s granite wall is higher than the tallest building in the world and requires climbers to navigate a maze of fissures, crevices and cracks.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
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The fatal shooting sparked demonstrations nationwide and has deepened fissures between federal and state officials.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Its dual mission is to bridge the early-stage funding gap and guarantee global access, ensuring products aren’t confined to wealthy markets for decades but are introduced in low- and middle-income countries in parallel.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
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That gap lies between mathematical modelling and real human perception.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Positive outlook on Ickey Ekwonu’s knee injury Left tackle Ickey Ekwonu ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee during the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams this month.—
Mike Kaye
Updated January 26,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Jan. 2026
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The pipelines have sat idle since one ruptured in 2015 along the Santa Barbara County coast, causing one of the state’s largest oil spills.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Spread the cream over the entire surface of the board, making sure to get every nook, cranny, and crevice.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Jan. 2026
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Flowers and greenery sprouting from every corner and crevice attract hummingbirds, a cacophony of morning birdsong and a cricket soundtrack by late afternoon.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This week’s forecast, appropriately enough, calls for sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s for the 72-hole event.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Across the street, crime scene investigators took photos of a silver Chevy car, which had at least one bullet hole in its front windshield.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to Wohlfeil, some witnesses knew the horse was seriously hurt, including an on-site veterinarian who saw the incident and assumed — correctly — that the animal had fractured its cervical spine.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
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The 35-year-old Altuve sat out the first two months of the 2023 season after fracturing his right thumb in the last World Baseball Classic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kim tore her labrum in early January but has been cleared to compete in Livigno.—
Michelle Bruton,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Very heavy ice can potentially tear the gutters off your house.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There’s also a poem that Anders gave Winslet for Mother’s Day years ago, and which plays a pivotal role in Goodbye June’s heart-rending climax.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Nov. 2025
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The leader of the Cenobites can only invade Earth if the box is opened, but his attacks are some of the goriest captured on film: Metal hooks linked to chains obey Pinhead's commands and rend the flesh from his victims!—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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