sift
verb (used with object)
to separate and retain the coarse parts of (flour, ashes, etc.) with a sieve.
have been sifting
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present perfect progressiveof sift.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Newsom, in a video on Monday, said federal agents had questioned friends and associates of him and his wife and have been sifting through "years and years of random documents."
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
Armed with pickaxes and shovels, they have been sifting through the soil in scenes reminiscent of the gold rush that helped built South Africa's financial capital more than a century ago.
From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026
Across the U.S., retail employees have been sifting through state-issued flow charts, scanning product bar codes and checking ingredient lists across thousands of goods in stores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
They have been sifting through dirt to unearth and preserve the evidence of prehistoric occupation of the area.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 17, 2023
Investors have been sifting through the first batch of company earnings this quarter to monitor the chances of a recession, the state of consumer spending and the outlook for the markets.
From New York Times ● Jul. 18, 2022
