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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rift
Simon Perry, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the Crisis Group, an independent research group, said that, with Mr. Trump, Iran has a unique opportunity for a lasting deal with the United States and the potential to resolve a diplomatic rift nearly five decades long.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
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
The relationship between father and son remains strained, and the courtroom tensions mirror the personal rift between them.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the Crisis Group, an independent research group, said that, with Mr. Trump, Iran has a unique opportunity for a lasting deal with the United States and the potential to resolve a diplomatic rift nearly five decades long.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
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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But without an enduring settlement for Ukraine, this would result in a long-term fissure in the Transatlantic alliance and even NATO.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2025
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Image The fissures can be felt in public life and in synagogues.—
Anemona Hartocollis,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Next-Gen Anti-Ransomware Protection—Preemptive And Resilient Security Despite AV and EDR advancements, modern ransomware tactics—including encryption bypass and stealthy execution—continue to exploit gaps in endpoint defenses.—
Bob Kruse,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Assuming that the two indices continued to diverge by the current rate, the gap would only grow.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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University of Nottingham The CMX performed this feat by generating reactive oxygen species which ruptured the microbes' protective outer membranes.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2025
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However, the Big Cat is not playing right now after Woods ruptured his Achilles in March.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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When a person leaves the beach, the sand often sticks to their skin, gets tucked into clothing crevices, and may even be deposited in food or drink items.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Discover Magazine,
25 Apr. 2025
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The lightweight vacuum lasts 40 minutes and includes a crevice tool and pet multitool.—
Terri Williams,
Architectural Digest,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Patching a drywall hole is a quick, affordable DIY task that anyone can do.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2025
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For nearly three years the school shunned NIL and refused to adjust the admissions process for potential transfers, digging itself a sizable hole.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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The second season, though, is about how bonds can fracture.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
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In a world fractured by crisis, The Day May Break offers a rare kind of clarity—the kind that comes not from distance, but from standing close enough to see the humanity in every face, human or otherwise.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After Hurricane Helene tore through the region last fall, a resilient community came together to bring it back to life.—
Barbara Kingsolver,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2025
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Most of us have a similarly devastating firsthand experience, from the fires that tore through the ritziest parts of L.A. this year, and the smoke that wafted over New York’s wealthier and lower-income zip codes alike last year.—
Jeff Roth,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Dallas keeps bringing up last year’s six-game win over Colorado in an apparent effort to buck up themselves and their despondent fans, who are rending their garments over a meaningless seven-game losing streak to end the season.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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The Seagull The season’s starriest show is Chekhov’s rending play about art, love and loss in a new version from Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier, with Ostermeier directing.—
Matt Wolf,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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