# sift through

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sift-through
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to look through a large amount of things carefully to find something specific or important. You use this when you have a lot of information or objects to check.

For teachers: to examine a large quantity of information or objects thoroughly in order to identify or extract specific items. The verb is transitive and functions as an inseparable unit with the preposition 'through'.

## Examples

- I need to sift through these papers to find my passport.
- After the interview process, the HR manager had to sift through dozens of applications to find the right candidate.
- The researchers spent months sifting through archival data to uncover evidence of the forgotten settlement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I sifted the documents through." but "I sifted through the documents." — this phrasal verb is inseparable; the preposition 'through' must follow the verb directly before the object.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a plural noun representing a collection of items or data.
- Teaching tip: connect the figurative meaning to the literal action of using a sieve to separate flour from lumps.

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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.