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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
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Recent Examples of rift
Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
The rifts among these friends—particularly between Lucas and Coppola—could be severe.
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 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
Brooklyn, the 26-year-old son of the soccer star and Spice Girl-designer, described a family rift in a series of social media posts last month.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
The rifts among these friends—particularly between Lucas and Coppola—could be severe.
—Michael O’Donnell, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 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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With the Fed already split along ideological lines, the fissure could grow deeper if former Governor Kevin Warsh is confirmed as the next central bank chair.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Rupert Wyatt, the filmmaker behind Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was at the helm, exiting and returning to the project amid creative fissures.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Policymakers globally are increasingly worried that the unequal adoption of AI risks widening income and development gaps between rich and poor countries.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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The scandal has exposed a gap in curling’s enforcement technology — handle sensors can’t detect contact with the granite body of the stone — and the sport’s governing body has yet to find a lasting solution, with the Olympics still underway.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nine days before Sunday’s crash, Vonn ruptured the ACL in her left knee in another crash.—
Andrew Dampf,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
There was a good chance that trend was going to end even before Ikem Ekwonu ruptured his patellar tendon in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That said, her favorites are crevice tools for furniture, upholstery brushes for delicate surfaces, and extension wands for high-up areas.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
13 Feb. 2026
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In addition to using soft sponges and rags, Martha recommends using cotton swabs to apply the cream to tight spots and crevices when cleaning.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Nine months later, Kinser’s remains were found in a sinkhole with a bullet hole in his skull, according to court documents.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Further testing discovered a hole in a steel pipe within the well, about 2,700 feet deep, a potential escape hatch for oil field wastewater.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Adults who should be home caring for their children are constantly being removed, fracturing families through continual arrests.—
Emily Galvin Almanza,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The accident fractured Canter’s skull in four places.—
Eddie Pells,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Three women who could be tearing each other apart in the most high-stakes competition on the planet are instead choosing friendship, choosing joy, choosing to have fun with it.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
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They’ve been married for 19 years, after all, and when Amanda calls the police and introduces authorities into the situation, the couple is suddenly torn asunder.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The sagas of Icelanders—plotty, laconic, often heart-rending—constitute one of the oldest literatures in any language still commonly spoken.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The subjects say rending but also disquieting things about killing.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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