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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
  • Many hiking trails and lodging areas remain closed, and water has been shut off in the inner canyon, prompting advisories that hikers bring their own water or water filtration devices.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Riparian habitats, like creeks flowing through canyons, are home to sensitive creatures including California newts, frogs and toads.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of canyon
Noun
  • In one sequence, Sam stands in the middle of a rope bridge, catching a gold bar thrown at him from one side of a gorge, and then throwing it to the other side quickly enough that the weight of the gold doesn’t snap the precarious wooden planks.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The area is at the bottom of the national park in the inner gorge of the canyon, about 10 miles downstream from Phantom Ranch.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 15 Sep. 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
  • The brain’s surface has ridges and valleys, and CTE tangles are found in the depths of those valleys, called the cortical sulci, and surround blood vessels.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Everything was briefly silent, and then the valley filled with the white noise of rolling tires.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of valley
Noun
  • The National Park and World Biosphere Reserve affords nearly 10 miles to hike amid towering ravine walls, flowing streams, and dense forests.
    — Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Four rescuers used anchors and rope systems to reach Martin, secure him and guide him away from the steep gully.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Hazlewood also captured Taijul Islam, taken at gully by Green for 17.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of gully
Noun
  • Proponents say that in its pure form, kratom is a safe, natural herbal supplement that can help manage pain, anxiety and depression and ease the effects of opioid withdrawal.
    — Sudhin Thanawala, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, odds are high for an area of low pressure off the western coast of Africa to become tropical depression.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 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 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rift valley

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rift valley

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