1 B2 neutral
To remove solid particles or lumps from a substance by passing it through a sieve.
"Sieve out any lumps before adding the flour to the batter."
separable
sieve out
C1 neutral separable transitive
To separate or remove something by passing it through a sieve, or figuratively to filter out unwanted elements.
In plain English
To remove the unwanted parts of something by separating them carefully, like using a kitchen strainer.
What does "sieve out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
To identify and remove unwanted or irrelevant elements from a larger group or set.
"The software can sieve out duplicate entries from the database automatically."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To remove something by passing a substance through a sieve — a mesh tool used in cooking to separate solid and liquid.
Actually means
To remove the unwanted parts of something by separating them carefully, like using a kitchen strainer.
Usage tip
More common in British English than American English. The figurative sense is less common than 'sift out' or 'filter out'. Used in culinary, scientific, and occasionally administrative contexts.
Words that pair with "sieve out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
lumps impurities stones data candidates errors
How to conjugate "sieve out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sieve out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sieves out
he/she/it
Past simple
sieved out
yesterday
Past participle
sieved out
have + pp
-ing form
sieving out
continuous
Hear "sieve out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "sieve out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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