rift valley

noun

Definition of rift valleynext
as in canyon

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rift valley The rift valleys of East Africa are some of the largest and most spectacular topographic features on Earth. — David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 There is a rift valley on the Rio Grande in the desert of New Mexico where an award-winning home sits. — Jennifer Castenson, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Rather than having a central volcano, the Reykjanes Peninsula is dominated by a rift valley with lava fields and cones. — Alexandra Banner, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Valles Marineris is thought to be a rift valley, formed by uplift when hot material from the Mars's mantle bubbled up and stretched the planet's crust. — Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2010 See All Example Sentences for rift valley
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rift valley
  1. canyon
  2. gorge
  3. gulch
  4. valley
  5. ravine
  6. gully
  7. depression
  8. glen
Noun
  • The space offers nearly 360-degree views of the surrounding canyon, and the menu offers classic pub food, burgers and house beer.
    — London Lyle, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
  • Stewart grabs the ring activating it, before the car crashes in the canyon below.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 24 July 2026
Definition of canyon
Noun
  • His Portuguese-immigrant father, Miguel, moved to the gorge in 1984, when tourism in the area was practically unheard of.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 July 2026
  • Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia The centerpiece of this popular state park is a gorge that’s two miles long and almost 1,000 feet deep.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
Definition of gorge
Noun
  • Plastic waste flutters and settles into gulches, catches in the fencing.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
  • Head right, and there came public land, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with its creeks and gulches and two-bit towns like Peanut and Beegum.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
Definition of gulch
Noun
  • The 1-mile loop gains only about 100 feet in elevation and winds through a scenic valley ringed by the massive rock formations that make Joshua Tree instantly recognizable.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • Residents said inviting data centers into the community would exacerbate the water shortages, air pollution, and severe heat conditions in the valley, putting impoverished families and the agricultural industry at risk.
    — Leqi Zhong, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of valley
Noun
  • Both vehicles went into a nearby ravine and the tree line, a police report said.
    — Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • On the steel side, Phantom’s Revenge turns 25, still dropping riders 232 feet into the ravine at speeds around 85 mph and earning national attention as a USA TODAY 10Best‑nominated coaster.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Sarah’s partner Elijah, Karissa and I continued up into the mountains, scrambling over loose rocks to get closer to a gully carved into the side of a mountain towering behind the pools.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
  • The dark form of the bear was rounding the ridges and gullies, appearing and disappearing among the brush in the direction of the head of the canyon.
    — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026
Definition of gully
Noun
  • Yet, despite the dwindling popularity of both alcohol and cigarettes, various cancers, not to mention other serious conditions like diabetes and depression, have all been on the rise—again, especially in young people.
    — Tim Brinkhof, Time, 23 July 2026
  • The stress that police officers experience is associated with higher rates of divorce, alcohol abuse, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
    — Meg Anderson, NPR, 23 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • The series will follow a local estate owner, the Laird of Castle Drummoch (Branagh), who challenges the ambitions of an American billionaire intent on buying up large swaths of the glens.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Definition of glen

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rift valley
rift valleys
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Cite this Entry

“Rift valley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rift%20valley. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rift valley

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