1
as in fissures
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure
a small rift opened in the earth's crust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in gaps
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
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 rifts
Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Not just from the outside in but from our inside rifts.
—Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Advertisement While trying to bridge internal party rifts, Takaichi will need to build a majority coalition and convince voters that changing leaders really matters.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Perhaps this is leading to relationship difficulties and highlighting potential rifts in other friendships?
—Miriam Kirmayer, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
The primary setting is a classroom at a progressive private school in Berkeley, unfolding almost entirely in a series of board meetings where disagreements over how to handle a mumps outbreak expose deep and eventually quite angry rifts among the parents, on and off the board.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
This will only harm students’ ability to think critically and create rifts between them.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Sep. 2025
Rather than refrain from taking sides when great powers disagree, the country has sought to capitalize on opportunities presented by geopolitical rifts to advance its principles.
—Michelle Gavin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2025
But intraparty rifts could complicate GOP leadership’s math if the lower chamber moves forward with plans to vote on the evolving legislation, which Republican critics note would keep funding mostly at levels hashed out under the Biden administration.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
The spot was a chance to reframe the Prince of Wales' public image after years of headlines surrounding family rifts and the fallout from the departure of his brother, Prince Harry, and sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, from the royal fold in 2020.
—Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Not just from the outside in but from our inside rifts.
—Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Advertisement While trying to bridge internal party rifts, Takaichi will need to build a majority coalition and convince voters that changing leaders really matters.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Perhaps this is leading to relationship difficulties and highlighting potential rifts in other friendships?
—Miriam Kirmayer, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
The primary setting is a classroom at a progressive private school in Berkeley, unfolding almost entirely in a series of board meetings where disagreements over how to handle a mumps outbreak expose deep and eventually quite angry rifts among the parents, on and off the board.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
This will only harm students’ ability to think critically and create rifts between them.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 21 Sep. 2025
Rather than refrain from taking sides when great powers disagree, the country has sought to capitalize on opportunities presented by geopolitical rifts to advance its principles.
—Michelle Gavin, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2025
But intraparty rifts could complicate GOP leadership’s math if the lower chamber moves forward with plans to vote on the evolving legislation, which Republican critics note would keep funding mostly at levels hashed out under the Biden administration.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifts
Noun
-
This invisible, climate-polluting gas can escape into the water through fissures in the sea floor, often revealing itself with a stream of bubbles weaving their way up to the ocean surface.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Johanon's remarks centered on the fissures in society.—
Detroit Free Press staff,
Freep.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Check for holes in screens and gaps in weather stripping around doors and windows.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
-
The gaps in liability frameworks were laid bare after a 2018 fatal accident involving an Uber self-driving car.—
Nelson Lim,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While a tiny fraction of the quake’s energy (less than 1%) fractures rocks, up to 80% of it is transformed into heat.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
-
If the community fractures over which path to take, and no consensus emerges, adoption may be stalled.—
Korok Ray,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Methane has been measured escaping from crevices in the seabed at a high rate as the region warms at unprecedented rates, according to a paper published in Nature Communications.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
-
To avoid the penalty and still take advantage, teams are piling their biggest and most powerful defenders around the edges of the long snapper and using the crevices around a mostly stationary player to get into position for the block.—
Nate Atkins,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The fit also seemed perfect for both sides, as the Eagles were seeking to fill any holes on the defensive lines.—
Cameron Belcher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Inside the old asylum, plaster peeled from mottled walls and holes gaped in the ceiling.—
Jen Rose Smith,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Achilles tears that the Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers suffered during the 2025 playoffs have made the race for the conference wide open this coming season.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
In this kind of system, scientists theorize that the black hole tears the neutron star apart before swallowing it, which releases electromagnetic waves.—
Chad Hanna,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Heupel spreads out his receivers in an attempt to spread out the defense, then gashes them with the run.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The pictures show scars and gashes around the dog's snout.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Continue reading … CRIME MAGNET – Washington Post rips Democratic Socialist's costly bus proposal for New Yorkers.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The Meadow Vista Community Center, located at 1101 Meadow Vista Road, could also serve as an evacuation site if a fire rips through the area, residents said.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifts. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share