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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rift
Jay Harris, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 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
Instead, all the attention will fixate on a potential rift between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 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 fissure is on full display with those sharp lines in The Studio and Pluribus — shows, incidentally, from Apple, which more than any other company has normalized and cuddlified our current screen addiction.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
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As his family tries to settle into their new neighborhood, Jin’s plot creates fissures between him and his wife and daughters, as well as their white, liberal neighbor.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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City officials say Tuesday's fire underscores the ongoing risks at the site and reinforces their call for broader state-level reform to address enforcement gaps at mobile home parks.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Of course, choosing an insurance option that balances financial constraints with solid coverage is by no means simple, and many owners purchase policies that either cost more than necessary or have coverage gaps.—
Ethan M. Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But in the days afterward, her incision site ruptured, Wardlaw said.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
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As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Be sure to clean in every crevice to remove residue, mold, and mildew.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Kardv Cordless Vacuum Cleaner This slim tool comes with a dust brush and crevice tool to target stairs, curtains, and upholstery.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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His absence left yet another hole in the quartet featuring him, Ball, Knueppel and Bridges.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Jan. 2026
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Plunging directly in the frigid lake via holes carved in the ice.—
Julia Sayers Gokhale,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Winning slates sometimes fracture in office.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
10 Jan. 2026
-
That confidence began to fracture long before today's headlines.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Pacers were without Isaiah Jackson (concussion), Bennedict Mathurin (right thumb sprain), Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture) and Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon tear).—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
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Leaving broken branches and stems in place potentially makes branch damage worse, allows bark to tear further, and leaves plants more exposed to diseases and winter winds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 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 15 Jan. 2026.
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