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

New technologies allow the cleansing of structured and unstructured data without as much investment, but some organizations can still struggle with the volume of information that needs to be sifted to make a meaningful dent in the process. —Kathleen Hurley, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025

Members of the Academy Documentary Branch sifted through 169 eligible nonfiction features to determine this year’s shortlist. —Addie Morfoot, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025

Wondering what would happen if those same tools were used for self-examination, the author sifted through personal data to uncover meaningful insights to plan a course of action toward more joyful and fulfilling years. —Roxsy Lin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025

English football in 2024 served up a bit of everything: stunning strikes, comical own goals, baffling errors, refereeing controversies, promotions, relegations, trophies lifted, CVs sifted and much more besides. —Anantaajith Raghuraman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

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

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