rift
1 of 2noun
ˈrift 
1
a
: fissure, crevasse
b
: fault sense 4
2
: a clear space or interval
3
: breach, estrangement
rift
2 of 2verb
rifted; rifting; rifts
intransitive verb
: to burst open
transitive verb
1
: cleave, divide
hills were rifted by the earthquake
2
: penetrate
Synonyms
Noun
- check
- chink
- cleft
- crack
- cranny
- crevice
- fissure
- split
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The fight will only widen the rift with his brother. the rift in the rock We could see some stars through the rifts in the clouds. Scientists are studying the Mid-Atlantic Rift.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Owermohle, STAT, 27 Aug. 2022 The polling shows a deepening rift between the parties over climate change and the government’s role in limiting the greenhouse gasses that scientists say will continue to warm the Earth and change its environment. Lucas Thompson, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2022 Soon, opponents of Monica Brown's efforts began posting images of her son’s tweets on Granbury community Facebook groups – making a family’s private rift public. Mike Hixenbaugh, USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 The rift that was created in their relationship was a real one and the Internet took sides. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Aug. 2022 Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019 Collectively, the two plates are also rifting away from the Arabian Plate, which already separates Africa from the Middle East. Susmita Baral, Teen Vogue, 13 Apr. 2018 That is, for fall, alongside rifted-upon replicas of archival pieces, Balenciaga sent out tote bags in fuchsia taffeta and feathers to match the flouncy dresses. Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017 See More
Noun
There is no clear successor to navigate the agency through that political rift. Sarah Owermohle, STAT, 27 Aug. 2022 The polling shows a deepening rift between the parties over climate change and the government’s role in limiting the greenhouse gasses that scientists say will continue to warm the Earth and change its environment. Lucas Thompson, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2022 Soon, opponents of Monica Brown's efforts began posting images of her son’s tweets on Granbury community Facebook groups – making a family’s private rift public. Mike Hixenbaugh, USA TODAY, 13 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, cleveland, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 1 Aug. 2022 This isn’t a recent rift, but something that has grown over the last 30 years. Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2022 The rift that was created in their relationship was a real one and the Internet took sides. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Aug. 2022 Verb
The police, unsurprisingly, started to fire tear gas canisters again, trying to rift and wedge the fleeing protesters. Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Dec. 2019 Collectively, the two plates are also rifting away from the Arabian Plate, which already separates Africa from the Middle East. Susmita Baral, Teen Vogue, 13 Apr. 2018 That is, for fall, alongside rifted-upon replicas of archival pieces, Balenciaga sent out tote bags in fuchsia taffeta and feathers to match the flouncy dresses. Chelsea Peng, Marie Claire, 15 Mar. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian rift fissure, Old Norse rīfa to rive — more at rive
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Phrases Containing rift
Kids Definition
rift
noun
ˈrift
1
: an opening made by splitting or separation : cleft
a rift in the ice
2
: a break in friendly relations
A misunderstanding caused a rift within the family.
rifting
verb
as in fracturing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fracturing
- rupturing
- tearing
- rending
- pulling
- ripping
- incising
- cutting
- riving
- perforating
- notching
- gashing
- penetrating
- fractionating
- slashing
- breaking
- slitting
- disintegrating
- lacerating
- partitioning
- cleaving
- fractionalizing
- bifurcating
- subdividing
- breaking down
- dissolving
- sundering
- splitting
- dissecting
- puncturing
- disassembling
- dichotomizing
- decomposing
- unraveling
- segmenting
- fragmenting
- disuniting
- halving
- disjointing
- bisecting
- ramifying
- disjoining
- dissociating
- dividing
- disengaging
- fragmentizing
- trisecting
- quartering
- fragmentating
- divorcing
- detaching
- dissevering
- decoupling
- uncoupling
- parting
- resolving
- disentangling
- disconnecting
- separating
- untieing
- disassociating
- unlinking
- severing
- untying
- breaking up
- unyoking
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- healing
- closing
- filling
- sewing
- sealing
- welding
- repairing
- binding
- knitting
- suturing
- patching
- accumulating
- plugging
- stitching
- cementing
- merging
- fastening
- coupling
- darning
- fusing
- connecting
- joining
- sticking
- attaching
- combining
- linking
- mending
- consolidating
- uniting
- agglutinating
- unifying