# sift through

idiom

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

## Meaning

To carefully go through a set of objects, or a collection of information, in order to find something.

## Examples

- I need to sift through these papers to find my passport.
- The detective had to sift through hundreds of emails to find the evidence he needed for the case.
- Researchers must sift through vast amounts of historical data to uncover the truth about how the ancient civilization collapsed.

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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.