sift

verb

ˈsift 

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

The Commission hasn't begun the process of sifting through low-earning degrees yet. —Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026

As this shift took place, the literary figure of the serial killer gave authors as well as readers an opportunity to sift through the public health issues that were deeply entangled with the racial stereotypes of the War on Drugs. —Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026

Emergency workers sift through rubble of a residential building that was hit in an airstrike Friday in Tehran. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026

Earlier showers have sifted south. —Cutter Martin, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for sift

• clift
• drift
• gift
• lift
• miffed
• rift
• shift
• shrift
• sniffed
• thrift
• tift
• adrift

Kids Definition

sift

verb

ˈsift 

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