sifted; sifting; sifts
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 throughsift through a pile of old letters
3
: to scatter by or as if by sifting
sift sugar on a cake
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
The Canadian retailer is notorious for hosting epic sales, but also for the sheer number of picks shoppers have to sift through in SSENSE's vast catalogue of clothes and decor.
—
Leah Muncy, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024
Add dry ingredients to finish cookie dough: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024
What was the process of sifting through all of the songs in his vault and figuring out what belonged on the album?
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2024
Following the search, Trump mounted a separate legal battle that brought the appointment of an independent arbiter to sift through the material seized by the FBI, though the 11th Circuit ordered an end to that review in late 2022.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sift 
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Leah Muncy, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024
Add dry ingredients to finish cookie dough: In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 30 Nov. 2024
What was the process of sifting through all of the songs in his vault and figuring out what belonged on the album?
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2024
Following the search, Trump mounted a separate legal battle that brought the appointment of an independent arbiter to sift through the material seized by the FBI, though the 11th Circuit ordered an end to that review in late 2022.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 26 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sift
Dictionary Entries Near sift
Cite this Entry
“Sift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sift. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sift
verb1
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
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