rive

verb

rived ˈrīvd How to pronounce rive (audio) ; riven ˈri-vən How to pronounce rive (audio) also rived; riving ˈrī-viŋ How to pronounce rive (audio) ; rives

transitive verb

1
a
: to wrench open or tear apart or to pieces : rend
b
: to split with force or violence
2
a
: to divide into pieces or fractions
an organization being riven by controversy
b

intransitive verb

: to become split : crack
Choose the Right Synonym for rive

tear, rip, rend, split, cleave, rive mean to separate forcibly.

tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

split implies a cutting or breaking apart in a continuous, straight, and usually lengthwise direction or in the direction of grain or layers.

split logs for firewood

cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

Examples of rive in a Sentence

road pavement that had been riven by the annual freeze-and-thaw cycle the bitter disappointment threatened to rive my heart in two
Recent Examples on the Web Hezbollah became so powerful in part because the state was so weak, and riven by sectarian divisions. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2024 Written in lyrical, if brutal, fragments, this dystopian novel takes place in an unnamed country riven by military strife and environmental disaster. The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024 Dictatorships have always been riven by factions; their intentions and plans change suddenly, often affected by seemingly invisible details and circumstances. Philip Zelikow, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023 The attempt on Trump’s life alarmed a nation already riven by political discord. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 16 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for rive 

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old Norse rīfa; akin to Greek ereipein to tear down

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rive was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rive

Cite this Entry

“Rive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rive. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

rive

verb
rived ˈrīvd How to pronounce rive (audio) ; riven ˈriv-ən How to pronounce rive (audio) also rived; riving ˈrī-viŋ How to pronounce rive (audio)
1
: to tear apart
2
: to become split or cause to split

More from Merriam-Webster on rive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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