sift

verb

sifted; sifting; sifts

transitive verb

1
a
: to put through a sieve
sift flour
b
: to separate or separate out by or as if by putting through a sieve
2
: to go through especially to sort out what is useful or valuable
sifted the evidence
often used with through
sift through a pile of old letters
3
: to scatter by or as if by sifting
sift sugar on a cake

intransitive verb

1
: to use a sieve
2
: to pass or fall as if through a sieve
sifter noun

Examples of sift in a Sentence

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Sift the lumps from the sugar. The police sifted the evidence in hopes of finding a clue. The police sifted for clues. The lawyer sifted through the hundreds of pages of testimony. Firefighters sifted through the debris.
Recent Examples on the Web Tornadoes also hit Arkansas and Illinois. Crews across the Midwest are working to sift beneath the rubble to survey the damage left behind. USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 Dissolving the cocoa powder in hot water unlocks more of its flavor while negating the need to sift. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 15 Mar. 2024 That could change, however, as crews continue to sift through the rubble left in the devastating wake of multiple tornadoes. Cincinnati Enquirer, The Enquirer, 15 Mar. 2024 Crews continue to sift through the rubble left behind by multiple tornadoes, which could lead to an uptick in deaths as the day goes on. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Mar. 2024 These are the stretches when chess masters stare intently at the board, sifting through various possible gambits in their minds. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 After giving them a rundown, Ryan and Perry unleashed thousands of peanuts from the machine to be sifted. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 The technology's ability to sift through massive data sets in real time allows for a more nuanced and transparent approach to customer data usage, enhancing trust and fostering a more engaged consumer base. Aleks Farseev, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Scientists aboard a research vessel off the coast of Spain sifted through the rubble dumped from a trawling net. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sift.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English siftan; akin to Old English sife sieve

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sift was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sift

Cite this Entry

“Sift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sift. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sift

verb
1
a
: to put through a sieve
sift flour
b
: to separate or separate out by or as if by putting through a sieve
2
: to go through especially to sort out what is useful or valuable
sift evidence
sift through a pile of papers
sifter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sift

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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