rift

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical

n. a deep crack or opening in the ground or in a rock.

n. a fissure, crack, or chasm in a rock formation or the earth's crust.

“The earthquake left a massive rift across the main highway.”

“Geologists monitored the widening rift in the valley, concerned that the tectonic activity might signal an imminent volcanic event.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary

n. a small opening in clouds or mist that lets light shine through.

n. an opening in a mass of clouds, fog, or mist through which light or sky is visible.

“A sudden rift in the clouds allowed a single beam of sunlight to hit the valley.”

“Through a narrow rift in the heavy morning mist, the sailors caught their first fleeting glimpse of the jagged coastline.”

C2 · Proficiency Literary

v. to burst or split open.

v. to split or cleave; to form a fissure or opening.

“The dry earth began to rift under the heat of the summer sun.”

“The ancient stone walls began to rift as the roots of the massive trees pushed through the foundation over many decades.”