ridden

adjective

rid·​den ˈri-dᵊn How to pronounce ridden (audio)
1
: harassed, oppressed, or obsessed by
usually used in combination
guilt-ridden
debt-ridden
2
: excessively full of or supplied with
usually used in combination
slum-ridden

Examples of ridden in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Like the teeth of many modern and ancient ridden horses, the Botai horse teeth appeared to have been worn down by a bridle mouthpiece, or bit. William Taylor, The Conversation, 3 Sep. 2024 As the dolphins washed up, community members became ridden with anxiety and fear for the marine animals, and some called for more protections to prevent such mass strandings. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 15 July 2024 Rockier than ever, Violeta’s interactions with Vicente feel ridden with mutual, unrelentless antagonism. Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024 Cities tend to be more ridden with criminal gangs than are country villages. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for ridden 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ridden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridden was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near ridden

Cite this Entry

“Ridden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridden. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

ridden

adjective
rid·​den ˈrid-ᵊn How to pronounce ridden (audio)
: extremely concerned with or burdened by
guilt-ridden
slum-ridden
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!