Word

filter

noun C1

UK /ˈfɪltə/

US /ˈfɪltɚ/

Meanings

noun

A device or layer that removes unwanted substances from a liquid or gas.

noun

A feature or setting that changes an image, video, or sound by adjusting its qualities.

verb

To remove unwanted material or to select only certain items from a larger set.

Definition

A filter is something that removes unwanted material from a liquid, gas, or stream of information.

A filter is a device, layer, or feature that separates out what you do not want and lets the rest pass through. In everyday life, it can clean air or water by trapping particles. In digital contexts, it can change how something looks or limit what information you see by applying rules.

Examples

I used a filter to remove the sediment before I poured the broth into the bowl.
You can filter the search results by date to see the newest reports first.
She added a filter to the photo, but she kept the colors subtle and realistic.
They installed a new filter in the ventilation system to cut down on dust.
He asked the app to filter out offensive comments so the discussion stayed focused.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse filter (remove unwanted material) with strain (separate using a sieve-like tool) and use them interchangeably in contexts where only one is natural.