rift valley

noun

Definition of rift valleynext
as in canyon

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rift valley The rift valleys of East Africa are some of the largest and most spectacular topographic features on Earth. — David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 There is a rift valley on the Rio Grande in the desert of New Mexico where an award-winning home sits. — Jennifer Castenson, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Rather than having a central volcano, the Reykjanes Peninsula is dominated by a rift valley with lava fields and cones. — Alexandra Banner, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Valles Marineris is thought to be a rift valley, formed by uplift when hot material from the Mars's mantle bubbled up and stretched the planet's crust. — Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2010 See All Example Sentences for rift valley
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rift valley
  1. canyon
  2. gorge
  3. gulch
  4. valley
  5. ravine
  6. gully
  7. depression
  8. glen
Noun
  • Scientists may have uncovered evidence of a colossal ancient cliff that stretched across much of North America and helped expose rocks now visible deep inside the Grand Canyon hundreds of millions of years before the modern canyon formed.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Step right off the property onto miles of scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, or ride the complimentary gondola down to historic downtown for instant access to iconic box-canyon treks, cascading waterfalls and world-class fly fishing.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of canyon
Noun
  • Riders pass waterfalls, deep gorges, alpine lakes, historic sites, and sweeping mountain views while climbing nearly 3,000 feet.
    — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Many routes through Orlias Gorge begin near Dion at the tiny chapel of Agios Konstantinos, followed by a short forest hike into the gorge.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of gorge
Noun
  • Plastic waste flutters and settles into gulches, catches in the fencing.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
  • Head right, and there came public land, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with its creeks and gulches and two-bit towns like Peanut and Beegum.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
Definition of gulch
Noun
  • From gentle ridge walks with panoramic valley views to high-altitude summit pushes, every level of explorer is catered to.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Ahmad grew up in Kashmir, a region in India’s northwest abutting the Himalayas, replete with vast valleys, glassy mountain lakes, and purple iris and cyan forget-me-nots.
    — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of valley
Noun
  • Santa Cruz Police Department The driver and another occupant ran away into a nearby ravine where a K-9 officer was used to apprehend the driver.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The driver ran from the disabled SUV into a nearby ravine but was arrested after officers sent a police dog to capture him, police said.
    — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Hazlewood also captured Taijul Islam, taken at gully by Green for 17.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Sarah’s partner Elijah, Karissa and I continued up into the mountains, scrambling over loose rocks to get closer to a gully carved into the side of a mountain towering behind the pools.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
Definition of gully
Noun
  • Many women who experience a miscarriage or stillbirth also develop symptoms of depression.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accuse Meta of designing the platforms to hook young users, fueling anxiety, depression and even suicide, and misleading consumers about their safety.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • The series will follow a local estate owner, the Laird of Castle Drummoch (Branagh), who challenges the ambitions of an American billionaire intent on buying up large swaths of the glens.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Definition of glen

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Cite this Entry

“Rift valley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift%20valley. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rift valley

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