sift

verb

Definition of siftnext
1
as in to filter

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in to inspect

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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 sift The bureau ordered 260 analysts to help sift through the ballots and voting data. — Daniel Klaidman, CBS News, 13 July 2026 Leave a few inches of stalk attached to the tuber, but sift off all the dirt and trim back the roots. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 For Warsh, all of these data points, plus others from various agencies, present a complicated mosaic that his task forces will have to sift through. — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 July 2026 Then, aided by technology and evolving search parameters, police sift through for potential suspects. — Anne Toomey McKenna, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sift
  1. filter
  2. inspect
  3. sieve
  4. investigate
  5. lay
  6. examine
  7. screen
Verb
  • Blending coming-of-age drama with a dreamlike, science-fiction edge, the film filters Argentina’s economic instability and the pull of the digital world through the perspective of a child searching for an escape.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • For starters, neither file is filtered beyond building classification code.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 July 2026
Definition of filter
Verb
  • Its developers also released the model weights, allowing companies and researchers to inspect, modify and deploy it independently.
    — Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said on Friday, July 31, that Shukur Aikebaer, 60, stepped outside to inspect his home’s electrical panel after the power was interrupted on the night of July 29.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of inspect
Verb
  • After sufficient brewing time, pour the tea into the pitcher through a fine mesh filter or sieve to remove the loose leaves or take out and throw out the whole tea bags.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
  • Creativity is not just some commodity, trapped in the imagination, that can be tapped and sieved by technology.
    — John Semley, Wired News, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of sieve
Verb
  • The Olathe Police Department is investigating the crash, Moncayo said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But each room is packed with nooks and crannies and knickknacks to click around on, investigate, and learn about, so there’s almost always something to dig into.
    — Jay Peters, The Verge, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of investigate
Verb
  • The collision laid bare the danger at the most volatile front of Europe’s wildfire emergency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Their experiences and connections can help lay the groundwork for a successful transition.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of lay
Verb
  • Building the atomic picture The researchers combined several advanced techniques to examine the catalyst from the inside out.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026
  • So Jehan's team looked at the microbiome of Pakistani women who had just given birth -- by examining their stool.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of examine
Verb
  • Roxie screening on Sunday will be followed by a Q&A moderated by oceanographer Sylvia Earle.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But once the science is established, one advantage of screening patients with EKGs is that the test is relatively simple and inexpensive, as opposed to MRI scans or invasive coronary angiograms.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of screen

Browse Nearby Words

sieving
sift
sifted
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Cite this Entry

“Sift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sift. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of sift for Spanish Speakers

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