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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
Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
His words mark yet another rift between Washington and Europe and highlight the delicate balance European leaders have attempted to strike since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on Saturday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 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
Prince William and Ex-Prince Andrew's longstanding rift reportedly stems from Andrew's early treatment of Kate Middleton.
—Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
His words mark yet another rift between Washington and Europe and highlight the delicate balance European leaders have attempted to strike since the US and Israel began bombing Iran on Saturday.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 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 controversy has highlighted both religious and political fissures.—
Peter Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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Fuller’s sentiments about ongoing fissures in college sports reflect growing concerns across the industry that the current financial model is unsustainable.—
Eric Prisbell,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Despite the information gaps and deficiencies of existing AI models, the hospitality industry is pressing ahead with the rollout of more smart tools.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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But the military outcome and the political outcome are almost never the same thing, and the gap between them is where wars fail.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Officials have finished cleanup and containment efforts at Englebright Lake following a 14-foot-diameter pipeline ruptured at the New Colgate Powerhouse, the Yuba Water Agency announced on Friday.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Officials said a 42-inch water main in the area ruptured.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Wait for it to land and carefully suction it away with the narrow crevice tool of your vacuum cleaner.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
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Accessories Handheld vacuums may come with various accessories that can add to their functionality, most commonly crevice tools and dusting brushes.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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On Monday morning, Brandon Bailey, who flew into LAX from Texas, told The Times that the potential increase will leave a hole in his travel budget.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Days after trading center Garrett Bradbury to Chicago for a fifth-round pick — a solid piece of business with Bradbury entering a contract year but also immediate consequences — the Pats have a hole in their offensive line.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Unless something dramatic happens to fracture their relationship, the two will be intertwined for the foreseeable future.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
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When ambitious young athlete Jamal (SwagBoyQ) enters her life and confronts the dangerous world around her, everything fractures.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Then, within days of finally being cleared to practice during the summer at USC, Arenas learned his meniscus was torn.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP Images from the scene on Swiss media showed flames tearing through the bus.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jean-Luc Godard used nonprofessionals to rend the dramatic fabric and expose the artifices of performance.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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