variants
also rived
1
as in disrupted
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
road pavement that had been riven by the annual freeze-and-thaw cycle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in torn
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
the bitter disappointment threatened to rive my heart in two
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of riven
When the founding leader and first president of the Turkish Republic, Kemal Atatürk, took office in 1923, the country was riven by clashes between different ethnic groups.
—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Through intimate encounters and unfiltered conversations, White Man Walking captures a nation riven by fear, disinformation, and historical grievance, while also offering glimpses of empathy and human connection.
—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Venezuela is a country of 28 million people, riven by armed militias, criminal organizations, and Chavista loyalists who haven’t simply vanished because Maduro was helicoptered to New York.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan opposition has always been riven with divisions.
—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riven
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Through intimate encounters and unfiltered conversations, White Man Walking captures a nation riven by fear, disinformation, and historical grievance, while also offering glimpses of empathy and human connection.
—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Venezuela is a country of 28 million people, riven by armed militias, criminal organizations, and Chavista loyalists who haven’t simply vanished because Maduro was helicoptered to New York.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
6 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan opposition has always been riven with divisions.
—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
Verb
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The dangerous temperatures have already disrupted several events scheduled for Friday.
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The overlap of two warming patterns — one regional and one climate-scale — could compound stress on marine food webs that have already been repeatedly disrupted over the past decade.
Verb
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To protect the delicate tissue from getting wet or being torn, a matte varnish was applied.
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If you're ever torn between a classic red and a juicy strawberry at the nail salon, why not meet in the middle?
Verb
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In the last year, Huston has broken his eye socket — twice — and his jaw, as well as lacerating his kidney, per posts on his social media.
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The eight best third-place teams get in with ties broken by goal differential and goals scored, if necessary.
Verb
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Lamine Yamal, with the ball bouncing inside the box, spun and ripped a shot that Austria's goalkeeper just stopped for a corner kick.
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The statement also ripped Shipnuck for citing a source in which Mickelson's wife, Amy, played a role in his departures from clubs.
Verb
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However, proximity matters little if an enterprise is fractured internally by the adversarial divide between Business and IT.
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What began with a total hip replacement turned into an even longer recovery after Gifford fractured her hip and required another surgery.
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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