cleft

as in fissure
an irregular usually narrow break in a surface created by pressure my fishing line managed to get wedged in a cleft in the rocks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cleft Many birth defects are treatable; orofacial clefts and some heart defects, for example, can be corrected with surgery. Almut Winterstein, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2025 Valproic acid causes birth defects that can be detected in utero such as oral clefts or spina bifida. Almut Winterstein, The Conversation, 30 Jan. 2025 Now that she’s become well known not only for her art and fashion, but for being a cleft advocate, speaking around the country about her experience with a cleft lip and palate, Glasses has been traveling a lot for personal appearances, which leaves precious little time for weaving. Booth Moore, WWD, 29 Oct. 2024 This bacteria is commonly carried in the nostrils, between the legs, in the armpits, and in the cleft between the buttocks. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for cleft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleft
Noun
  • And Japan’s invocation of World War II is controversial in a region where fissures over Tokyo’s devastating militarism during the period sour relations with many of its neighbors to this day.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 July 2025
  • Race created the conditions for one of the greatest original fissures within the feminist movement, which makes Kendall’s exploration of the ways in which mainstream feminism has continued to fail women of color feel particularly timely, even five years after its publication.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Use the crevice tool to get in the nooks and corners of your outdoor spaces where cobwebs, dirt, small twigs, and other messes might be lurking.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 July 2025
  • With four different brush heads this tool can tackle grout, tile and all of the dirty crevices in your bathroom.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 10 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cleft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleft. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cleft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!