sift
Americanverb (used with object)
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to separate and retain the coarse parts of (flour, ashes, etc.) with a sieve.
-
to scatter or sprinkle through or by means of a sieve.
to sift sugar onto cake.
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to separate by or as if by a sieve.
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to examine closely.
The detectives are still sifting the evidence.
- Synonyms:
- probe, search, inspect, scrutinize, sort
-
to question closely.
verb (used without object)
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to sift something.
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to pass or fall through or as if through a sieve.
verb
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(tr) to sieve (sand, flour, etc) in order to remove the coarser particles
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to scatter (something) over a surface through a sieve
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(tr) to separate with or as if with a sieve; distinguish between
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(tr) to examine minutely
to sift evidence
-
(intr) to move as if through a sieve
Other Word Forms
- outsift verb (used with object)
- presift verb (used with object)
- resift verb (used with object)
- sifter noun
- unsifted adjective
Etymology
Origin of sift
before 900; Middle English siften, Old English siftan; cognate with Dutch, Middle Low German siften; akin to sieve
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.
“There were a lot of wild family dynamics to sift through,” says Aselton, whose previous films as director include “The Freebie” and “Magic Hour.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
But opportunities remain for investors willing to sift through the wreckage on Wall Street.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
To help you sift through the noise, we’re launching a new newsletter: Executive Dysfunction.
From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026
Finnish detectives also feared they wouldn't find the suspect given the volume of data they had to sift through.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Olanna went to the backyard and began to sift through the metal bucket of ash.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
