Cleft: meaning, definitions and examples

A cleft is used to describe a natural division or split in something, often in rock or the ground. It suggests a more pronounced separation.

• A small stream flowed through the cleft in the rock.
• She spotted a cleft in the hillside where they could set up camp.

A fissure indicates a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth. It can often be used in scientific or geological contexts.

• The earthquake caused a fissure in the baking earth.
• They examined the fissure in the glacier.

A crevice generally refers to a narrow crack or opening, often in rock or another hard surface. It is usually smaller and less significant than a cleft.

• The lizard hid in a crevice in the wall.
• Water trickled into the crevice during the rainstorm.

A gap generally implies a break or opening between two objects or parts. It can be used more broadly to describe spaces in various contexts, such as physical spaces or abstract concepts like time or knowledge.

• There's a gap between the couch and the wall.
• She noticed a gap in his explanation.

Use 'cleft' when describing something that is naturally divided or has a noticeable crack, especially in a physical or geographical context.

• The mountain has a cleft near the peak where a river flows through.
• She has a cleft in her chin, which makes her look unique.

Use 'split' when referring to breaking something into parts, often forcibly or suddenly. It can also be used for divisions in time, attention, or effort.

• She split the log in half with a single swing of the axe.
• They decided to split the bill evenly among the five of them.
• The team's focus is split between multiple important projects.

Use 'divide' to talk about separating something into parts or sections, especially when discussing groups, portions, or mathematical concepts. It can also refer to causing disagreement or conflict.

• The project will divide the team into smaller working groups.
• They decided to divide the cake into eight equal slices.
• This issue could divide the community if we don't handle it carefully.

Use 'separate' for a general context of making distinctions between things, or putting some distance between them. It often implies moving apart physically or conceptually.

• We need to separate the recyclables from the regular trash.
• The teacher separated the students into two groups for the activity.
• He separated himself from the noisy crowd to think more clearly.