There could be no doubt that Beddington had obtained entrance by pretending that he had left something behind him, and having murdered the watchman, rapidly rifled the large safe, and then made off with his booty.
Source: tatoeba (6980617)
Rifled
Synonyms for "rifled" (27 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: comb, corduroy, corrugated, cut, engrave.
- Sentence evidence is available for rifled, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rifled".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rifled"
Keep "rifled" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rifled" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rifled", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rifled" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
7 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
10 entriesgrooved borerifled barrelrifled borerifled bulletsrifled drawerrifling machinerifling processrifling twist ratespin stabilizationspiral grooves
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
5 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
3 total sentences available.
The police theory is that a most sensational crime has been committed, that the victim was clubbed to death in his own bedroom, his papers rifled, and his dead body dragged across to the wood-stack, which was then ignited so as to hide all traces of the crime.
Source: tatoeba (7453342)
He told us that the train had been robbed of its gold bricks, by five men, three of whom, dressed like Indians, rifled the baggage car while the others held the passengers at bay; that the engine was hopelessly wrecked, the engineer killed; that the robbers had escaped on horseback with their booty; and that men had been sent to the nearest telegraph station to “wire” for another engine and a supply of workmen.
Source: tatoeba (10992076)
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rifled"?
Closest matches include comb, corduroy, corrugated, cut, engrave.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rifled"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.