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
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Recent Examples of cleft
But today, the most important political cleft is not the fading distinction between right and left, but the rising conflict between liberal and illiberal, democratic and autocratic.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 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
David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 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
-
Wyatt exited and then returned to the project amid creative fissures, including wrangling over the movie’s tone, pacing, and length.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
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Trump is facing a catch-22 in the face of growing fissures at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and mounting departures of scientists and experts over vaccine policy.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Key prevention strategies include sealing cracks and crevices in walls, roofs, and around windows and doors.—
Matthew Binnicker,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The females wait folded within crevices in bark.—
Rosanna Warren,
The Atlantic,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleft. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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