rift

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈrɪft/ 🇺🇸 /ˈrɪft/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A crack, split, or break in something, especially in the earth's surface or a rock formation.; A serious break in friendly relations between people, groups, or nations.; A gap or opening in clouds, fog, or other obscuring medium.; In geology, a zone where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart, often forming a valley or basin.
  2. verb
    To split or break apart; to cause a rift in.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: rifts 3rd sing.: rifts Past: rifted Past part.: rifted Pres part.: rifting

Collocations

heal the riftcause a riftdeep riftcontinental riftrift valleyopen a rift

Derivatives

riftyrifting

Synonyms

fissurecleftcrevicebreachschismsplit

Antonyms

unionreconciliationhealing

Commonly confused

drift
EN: 'Drift' refers to gradual movement or accumulation, whereas 'rift' refers to a break, split, or fissure.
cleft
EN: 'Cleft' typically describes a physical indentation or split in anatomy or rock, while 'rift' often implies a geological fault or a serious interpersonal breach.

Spelling tips

EN: Ensure only one 'f' is used; do not confuse with 'ruff' or 'rough'.

💬 Examples

  1. The earthquake created a deep rift in the ground.

  2. The disagreement caused a rift between the two brothers that lasted for years.

  3. A rift in the clouds allowed a beam of sunlight to reach the valley.

  4. The East African Rift is one of the most prominent geological features on the continent.

  5. The storm rifted the old oak tree down the middle.