filter

A device that removes unwanted material from water, air, or another substance passing through it.

• This filter cleans the water.
• I replaced the car’s air filter yesterday.
• The coffee filters are in the cupboard.

Similar words: strainer

Common phrases: water filter, air filter, coffee filter, fuel filter

A tool or method that selects some things and leaves others out.

• The filter blocks unwanted emails.
• Use the price filter to find cheaper rooms.
• These filters hide messages from unknown senders.

Similar words: screen, screening tool

Common phrases: spam filter, search filter, content filter

To pass liquid or air through something that removes unwanted material.

• We filter our drinking water.
• The machine filtered dust from the air.
• Can you filter the oil before using it again?

How to use it: filter something through something (Filter the juice through a clean cloth.)

Similar words: strain, purify

Common phrases: filter water, filter the air, filter through something

To select certain things from a group, or remove things you do not want.

• Filter the results by date.
• The software filtered out unwanted messages.
• We filtered the list to include only local suppliers.

How to use it: filter out something (The program filters out repeated names.); filter something by something (You can filter the results by price.)

Similar words: screen, sift, sort

Common phrases: filter out something, filter by date, filter search results

To make light or another spreading force weaker or less direct.

• The curtains filter the light.
• Sunlight filtered through the leaves.
• Thin clouds filtered the harsh afternoon rays.

How to use it: filter through something (Sunlight filtered through the curtains.)

Similar words: diffuse, soften

Opposites: concentrate

Common phrases: filter the light, filter sunlight, filter through something