RIFTS Synonyms: 129 Similar and Opposite Words

rifts 1 of 2

noun

plural of rift

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

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

rifts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rift

as in fractures

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Dissimilar 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

Noun

And whatever rifts had formed in his relationship with Altman were largely absent from social media. —

Ashley Capoot,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 18 May 2026 The deeper the rifts between the United States and Europe over Iran, the greater the chances of weakening the NATO alliance. —

Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026 Now that is her son’s task in his first visit to the former colonies since he was crowned, arriving amid rifts over the war in Iran and the future of NATO. —

Susan Page, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 Their contrasting positions mirror growing rifts within the Republican Party over whether military action against Iran is justified and appropriate. —

Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026 The carbon released by tectonic rifts may have had a larger role in driving major climate transitions than that released by tectonic convergences. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026 There are other headwinds preventing successful AI deployments, namely distrust of the technology and fear of worker replacement, causing rifts between front-line employees and management. —

Scott Francis, Forbes.com, 20 Mar. 2026 Within the locker room, the disagreements over initial vote left rifts. —

Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 Some creators and observers say the disproportionate influence of voices outside of Iran has exacerbated deep rifts in the diaspora, which includes about 750,000 people in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. —

ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifts

Noun

Some of these fissures are healing, but the relationship between Wilson and the organization, including key former teammates, is not helping his candidacy.

— Mike Sando, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Seismic images of mid-ocean ridges typically show rough and jagged terrain, formed when lava oozes up into the cold ocean along faults or fissures and hardens suddenly into stone.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 May 2026