riven

1 of 2

adjective

riv·​en ˈri-vən 

: 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

riven

2 of 2

past participle of rive

Examples of riven in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The heroism of Shaw, a white man, and his Black comrades lay not just in their martial valor but in their willingness to work together, at great risk, to test whether the ancient American ideal of unity amid diversity could survive their riven nation. — Trygve Throntveit, Time, 27 May 2026

Rather than attempting to reckon with Rwanda’s recent history from the outside in, its fevered gaze on this riven and traumatized community comes from the inside out. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2026

Indeed, in a match riven with unsporting behaviour, there is an underlying honesty to this encounter. — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

The school was poorly funded, riven by gang violence, and deeply segregated by race and class. — Gioia Woods, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1560, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for riven

• driven
• given
• scriven
• sivan
• striven
• forgiven