: split apart
riven wood [=wood split apart along the grain]
: divided into pieces or factions
a riven nation
… beautifully nuanced portraits of a riven people, separated by more than an ocean.—
Mylène Dressler
Mylène DresslerExamples of riven in a Sentence
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When our culture is so riven with division, those who can find the strength to rise about the heat of the moment can do much to ensure future peace, even collaboration.
—John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Without an inclusive political process, Syria will remain riven by all kinds of divisions.
—Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
During Anderson’s childhood, the region was still riven with sectarian hostility and violence.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Is there an artistic life that feels more riven by American problems?
—The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025
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John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Without an inclusive political process, Syria will remain riven by all kinds of divisions.
—Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
During Anderson’s childhood, the region was still riven with sectarian hostility and violence.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Is there an artistic life that feels more riven by American problems?
—The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riven
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riven. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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