# sift out

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sift-out
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To isolate or identify one particular thing from a collection that includes less relevant things.

## Examples

- I sift out the bad apples from the basket.
- The manager needs to sift out the best candidates from the pile of applications before the interviews start.
- Researchers must carefully sift out the relevant data from the massive collection of noise to find a meaningful pattern in the results.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.