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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
Hannah Malach, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
In 1964 this ideological rift resulted in a formal split.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 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
The duke's rift with his relatives, including his brother Prince William, is thought to have originated with his and Meghan's departure from royal life in 2020, though some reports have claimed that issues emerged before the couple's 2018 wedding.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
In 1964 this ideological rift resulted in a formal split.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 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
-
The ledges are broken by crevices and fissures, and loose rocks of all sizes lie on them and below them.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Reese’s remarks also struck a fissure in her relationship with ownership and the front office that, per a league source, never successfully healed.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
So what does a $77 rotisserie chicken say about the increasing wealth gap, the disparity between the leisure and working classes, and the overall affordability crisis that certainly irked those who balked at the price?—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
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Republicans tend to view their tax bill more negatively than Democrats, but Gallup’s polling shows that this gap often shrinks when a Republican is president.—
Linley Sanders,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But now many of those same factions are expressing open revulsion at the Iran war, rupturing relationships that were supposed to usher in a new international order.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Woods ruptured his Achilles last year just before the Masters, returning from the injury in the The Golf League championship just four days before his arrest.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Stroll leisurely to admire the wide variety of wildflowers that grow along the ledges or dare to dip below the dramatic quartz and sandstone into the narrow crevices of the cliffs.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The ledges are broken by crevices and fissures, and loose rocks of all sizes lie on them and below them.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Deputies noticed possible bullet holes in a parking sign in front of the business suite, which is near a church.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
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Rory McIlroy faded his tee shot into the pine straw, forcing a dramatic finish for his second consecutive Masters title, a final round that saw the Northern Irish golfer press his luck on the final few holes.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Much like in a civil war, the group fractured into two.—
Jason P. Dinh,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In the four years since its previous season, though, Hollywood has endured dual labor strikes, streamers have tightened budgets and audiences have fractured into increasingly niche viewing habits.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as a great deal of shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The war, now in its seventh week, has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region.—
Munir Ahmed,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Guthrie’s willingness to take part in an interview with a visibly emotional Kotb was heart-rending.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The emotional tribute paid homage to some of the most heart-rending high-profile deaths of the past year, including Diane Keaton, Robert Redford, and Rob Reiner, each of whom received their own dedicated homage.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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