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as in gap
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
as in to rupture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rift
Chris Buckley, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Behind the scenes: Ukrainian and U.S. officials said U.S. envoy Gen. Keith Kellogg played a key role in containing the crisis over the minerals deal and preventing it from turning into a deeper rift between Trump and Zelensky.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for rift
Noun
Editors’ Picks Image For now, Taiwanese officials have been sounding a positive note about relations with Washington, taking care to avoid an open rift with Mr. Trump.
—Chris Buckley, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
Behind the scenes: Ukrainian and U.S. officials said U.S. envoy Gen. Keith Kellogg played a key role in containing the crisis over the minerals deal and preventing it from turning into a deeper rift between Trump and Zelensky.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
However, the supercontinent began to rift and splinter in the late Triassic about 230 million years ago.
—Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022
The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for rift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rift
Noun
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The lava river traces to a fissure at the base of the volcano’s Bocca Nuova crater, according to a report from the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program. Landsat 8, a collaboration between NASA and the United States Geological Survey, was launched in 2013.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
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Rectal bleeding: Minor rectal bleeding is possible if a hard stool causes any anal fissures (small tears) in the rectal lining.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Even with recent gains, Black Americans are still outnumbered 12 to 1 by white people in executive roles – a gap seven times wider than found in the overall workforce at those companies.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
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And there’s a more than $100 million gap between the cost of local school districts’ special education programs and the aid the state provides.—
Jessika Harkay,
Hartford Courant,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This happens early on in the night when the multiverse ruptures to allow two characters from other campaigns to cameo.—
Eric Francisco,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2025
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Souttar returned to Leicester from his loan at Sheffield United after rupturing his Achilles on Boxing Day.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Primarily bottom dwellers, the species prefers to hide in crevices or under rocks and debris in the water.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
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Then, take a spoon and carve out the center of your strawberry, forming a small crevice to hold your liquor.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
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New York's biggest hole is in the infield, and Arenado would fill it in a big way.—
Zach Pressnell,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
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Three bogeys and a par across his last four holes, compounded by two horror close-range misses, resigned him to a closing 69.—
Ben Church,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Continued calls for the Zelensky's resignation will likely fracture Washington and Kyiv's relations going forward, as Ukraine has expressed support for its president.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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He had been wounded last summer, not far from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine, when a blast from a grenade fractured his right shoulder blade, a bullet hit him just below his right collarbone, another tore through his left shoulder, and a third broke three ribs.—
Michael Holtz,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Winners will be selected by April 15—the day the fire tore through the cathedral in 2019—and are prohibited from selling, gifting, or trading the stones.—
Francesca Aton,
ARTnews.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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More than 16,200 structures were lost to the flames, which tore through the cities of Malibu, Pasadena and Altadena and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.—
Kyla Guilfoil,
NBC News,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Seagull The season’s starriest show is Chekhov’s rending play about art, love and loss in a new version from Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier, with Ostermeier directing.—
Matt Wolf,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
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In lesser hands, this might be one of those theatrical pieces that offers a nice excuse for actors to rend garments and gnash teeth onscreen — the sort of cinéma du Off-Broadway favored by microbudget indie directors and arthouse die-hards.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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