rift 1 of 2

noun

ˈrift How to pronounce rift (audio)
Definition of riftnext
1
as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure a small rift opened in the earth's crust

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
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

rift

2 of 2

verb

as in to rupture

Related Words

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 rift
Noun
These are old rifts within Hispanic communities that the figure of Gálvez alone, and our presence at the time of independence, cannot reconcile. — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026 With Harry's anticipated return to the UK this week, much interest surrounds the very public royal rift and many are wondering if the brothers will reunite. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Verb
How will rift with Cunningham affect 2026 session? — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2026 After continents rift, or break apart, hot, dense rock detaches from the base of tectonic plates in blobs, which generate waves beneath Earth’s crust. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rift
  1. fissure
  2. gap
  3. rupture
  4. crevice
  5. hole
  6. fracture
  7. tear
  8. rend
Noun
  • The fissure was visible before the war.
    — Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 19 June 2026
  • So, too, does the idea that a soccer coach could close fissures that even the well-meaning among career politicians have failed to seal.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 18 June 2026
Definition of fissure
Noun
  • Actress Mariska Hargitay, who joined Swift courtside at Madison Square Garden during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, appears to have one notable gap in her Broadway schedule.
    — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • By the end of the match, the vast gap in the teams’ rankings had been reduced to only one goal.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 July 2026
Definition of gap
Verb
  • Residents said the latest delay is especially frustrating because the pool also remained closed for much of last summer after a water line ruptured while it was being filled.
    — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was Russia’s main natural gas supply route to Germany until Moscow cut off supplies in August 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of rupture
Noun
  • Cleaning every inch of a car interior is a daunting task, with dirt somehow making its way into every crevice between cupholders and seatbelts.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
  • In the footage, the sound of barking can be heard coming from a dark crevice in the rubble.
    — Stephen Smith, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of crevice
Noun
  • Mozeliak said the Angels should not consider a trade proposal in isolation, without considering how to flex their major-market muscles to fill whatever hole a trade might create.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The difference between these two measurements gives the exciton binding energy, a key quantity that determines how strongly the electron and hole remain bound together.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 5 July 2026
Definition of hole
Verb
  • Ramírez described it as an unexpected truce in a society fractured by politics.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • The question of whether new states would be slave or free threatened to fracture the nation.
    — Jim Rasenberger, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
Definition of fracture
Verb
  • Shakespeare’s haughty Roman war hero, revered on the battlefield yet reviled by hungry plebeians, becomes the flash point in a young democracy tearing itself apart over power and sacrifice.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • That tactic may situate this work within a lineage that includes Jacques Villeglé and Mimmo Rotella, artists who used swiped, torn ads during the postwar era.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of tear
Verb
  • The German priest’s criticisms of the Catholic Church sparked the Protestant Reformation, rending Christianity in two.
    — Michael Bruening, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
  • The excellent Julian Quinones’ early goal settled any nerves and then came the emotive, heart-rending second from talisman Raul Jimenez in the second half.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of rend

Browse Nearby Words

rifling
rift
rifted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on rift

Nglish: Translation of rift for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rift

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All