sift through
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle through
Meanings
Examine carefully to separate good from bad
Why “through”? You check each part from start to finish.
“Investigators sifted through the wreckage.”
“Police sifted through the emails for clues.”
Test yourself
“Investigators sifted through the wreckage.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
browse through
Same through pattern: examination
Look casually through items on display
comb through
Same through pattern: examination
Search very thoroughly
flick through
Same through pattern: examination
Look quickly at the pages of a book or magazine
flip through
Same through pattern: examination
Skim by turning pages quickly
go through
Same through pattern: examination
Travel from one side to the other; Examine something carefully; Experience a difficult time; Be officially approved, accepted, or completed; Use up a quantity of something quickly; Practice something step by step; Do something you planned, even when it is difficult
leaf through
Same through pattern: examination
Turn pages briefly to inspect
look through
Same through pattern: examination
Examine the contents of something quickly; Pretend not to see someone you know
read through
Same through pattern: examination
Read from start to finish
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “sift through” in Sink In
Drill “sift through” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
