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
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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
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Recent Examples of rifts
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Establishing ground rules ahead of time can hopefully help avoid hurt feelings, which can grow into deeper rifts over time and have negative effects on children and potentially rob them of a fruitful relationship with their grandparents.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
The search for Sarah reveals deep intergenerational rifts between the women in their family.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025
Amanda and Gus begin to thaw out their icy relationship and Amanda and sister Mae repair mend the rifts between them as well.
—Staff Author, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
The Democratic Party is venturing into uncharted territory on Israel as deepening rifts emerge between longtime Zionist allies and a growing faction of lawmakers openly critical of the war in Gaza.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
While the past few months have highlighted rifts that time has yet to heal, Juvenile’s stance underscores a deeper desire — one rooted in decades of brotherhood and shared history — to see the Hot Boys move forward together rather than fall apart.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025
The Catholic crisis today is about deeper political rifts within the church over the correct teaching on social-political issues.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
Verb
Later level and Ankou rifts (secret battle stages) require adept knowledge of the game’s overlapping combat systems.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Establishing ground rules ahead of time can hopefully help avoid hurt feelings, which can grow into deeper rifts over time and have negative effects on children and potentially rob them of a fruitful relationship with their grandparents.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
The search for Sarah reveals deep intergenerational rifts between the women in their family.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025
Amanda and Gus begin to thaw out their icy relationship and Amanda and sister Mae repair mend the rifts between them as well.
—Staff Author, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
The Democratic Party is venturing into uncharted territory on Israel as deepening rifts emerge between longtime Zionist allies and a growing faction of lawmakers openly critical of the war in Gaza.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
While the past few months have highlighted rifts that time has yet to heal, Juvenile’s stance underscores a deeper desire — one rooted in decades of brotherhood and shared history — to see the Hot Boys move forward together rather than fall apart.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025
The Catholic crisis today is about deeper political rifts within the church over the correct teaching on social-political issues.
—Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rifts
Noun
-
Wyatt exited and then returned to the project amid creative fissures, including wrangling over the movie’s tone, pacing, and length.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Trump is facing a catch-22 in the face of growing fissures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and mounting departures of scientists and experts over vaccine policy.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By transforming consumer devices into medical monitoring tools, gaps could be bridged in health care by providing continuous oversight.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Without such infrastructure, stablecoins risk being hobbled by operational gaps rather than technological limits.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If the community fractures over which path to take, and no consensus emerges, adoption may be stalled.—
Korok Ray,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
As a result of the attack, the woman had three stab wounds to her left leg, one to her right leg, fractures to her left rib and right pinky finger, bruises, trauma to her left forearm, and blunt force injuries to her head and face, leaving both eyes swollen shut, the release said.—
Courier-News,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Key prevention strategies include sealing cracks and crevices in walls, roofs, and around windows and doors.—
Matthew Binnicker,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The females wait folded within crevices in bark.—
Rosanna Warren,
The Atlantic,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Lawyers at Walsh Gallegos coordinated two releases of emails and other documents on behalf of the school board, but CNN reported how gaping holes remained, surprising and angering board members.—
Shimon Prokupecz,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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Eighteen holes away from his first collegiate win, the possibility felt real.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
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But as the war tears at civilian life, Sashi’s four brothers and their friend K are pulled into the conflict.—
Eliana Ramage
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 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
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The pictures show scars and gashes around the dog's snout.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Thing, who Isaac had sewn back onto his arm, regains his autonomy and rips Isaac’s heart out.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Roberts brings a jolt of invigorating fury to one of the movie’s strongest scenes, in which the mentor rips into her mentee in public on a campus square with a fully detailed character assassination.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rifts. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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