# sift

/ˈsɪft/ (US) · /sˈɪft/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sift
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to sieve powder

verb · CEFR B2

to put a dry substance, like flour, through a mesh to make it smooth or remove large pieces.

For teachers: to pass a dry substance through a sieve or mesh to separate smaller particles from larger ones or to aerate the material.

- You should sift the flour into the bowl to make the cake light and fluffy.
- The recipe specifies that the cocoa powder must be sifted twice to ensure no bitter lumps remain in the delicate sponge mixture.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'into' or 'onto'.

### 2. to examine information

verb · CEFR B2

to look through a large amount of information or objects to find the most important parts.

For teachers: to examine a mass of information, evidence, or physical items thoroughly to isolate what is relevant or valuable.

- The police had to sift through hundreds of tips from the public.
- Archaeologists spent months sifting through the sediment, hoping to find small fragments of pottery that would date the site.

Usage: Commonly used as a phrasal verb 'sift through'.

### 3. the act of sifting

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of checking or sorting through something.

For teachers: the process or instance of sifting, whether physical or metaphorical.

- A quick sift of the documents revealed several errors in the report.
- After a preliminary sift of the applications, the committee selected five candidates for the final interview stage.

## Examples

- You should sift the flour before adding it to the bowl.
- Detectives had to sift through hundreds of hours of security footage to identify the suspect.
- The research team spent months sifting through archival documents, hoping to find a single piece of evidence that would confirm their hypothesis.

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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.