filter

/ˈfɪltər/
verb
  1. To remove unwanted substances from a liquid or gas by passing it through a device or material.
    • We need to filter the water before drinking it.
    • The machine filters the oil to remove dirt and metal particles.
    • She filtered the coffee through a paper cone.
  2. To process or examine information, items, or people in order to select or reject them based on certain criteria.
    • The app filters job listings by location and salary.
    • You can filter your search results by date or rating.
    • The teacher filtered the applications to find the best candidates.
  3. To move slowly or gradually through a barrier or space.
    • People began to filter into the stadium an hour before the game.
    • News of the storm slowly filtered out to the public.
    • Sunlight filtered through the curtains.
Synonyms
noun
  1. A device or material that removes unwanted substances from a liquid or gas that passes through it.
    • The water filter makes tap water taste cleaner.
    • You should change the air filter in your car every year.
    • The coffee filter caught all the grounds.
  2. A setting or feature on a camera, app, or website that changes or limits what you see.
    • Use the search filter to find results from last month.
    • She added a black-and-white filter to her photo.
    • The website has a filter that shows only products under $20.
  3. A piece of software or code that blocks or allows certain types of data or content.
    • The spam filter caught that message before I saw it.
    • The email filter sends spam straight to the junk folder.
    • A content filter on the school network blocks inappropriate websites.
Synonyms
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