rive

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as in to rip
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rive different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rive are cleave, rend, rip, split, and tear. While all these words mean "to separate forcibly," rive occurs most often in figurative use.

a political party riven by conflict

In what contexts can cleave take the place of rive?

The words cleave and rive are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cleave implies very forceful splitting or cutting with a blow.

a bolt of lightning cleaved the giant oak

When would rend be a good substitute for rive?

The words rend and rive can be used in similar contexts, but rend implies very violent or ruthless severing or sundering.

an angry mob rent the prisoner's clothes

Where would rip be a reasonable alternative to rive?

While the synonyms rip and rive are close in meaning, rip implies a pulling apart in one rapid uninterrupted motion often along a line or joint.

ripped the shirt on a nail

When is it sensible to use split instead of rive?

The meanings of split and rive largely overlap; however, 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

When might tear be a better fit than rive?

In some situations, the words tear and rive are roughly equivalent. However, tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.

tear up the letter

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rive In a country riven by deep inequalities, however, opportunity for some came at a loss for others. Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025 The result, according to experts, are many city governments riven by workplace tension. Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025 Written in the flush of a new friendship with co-producer, engineer, and musician Sam Weber, the album unspools a suite of folk miniatures riven with discursive melodies as evocative as the cultural ephemera dotted through the lyrics. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Aug. 2025 The House’s action was riven with partisanship. Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rive
Verb
  • He was also accused of disrupting a second informational table hosted by a student group, according to Illinois State University Police.
    Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Kathryn Palmer The shutdown unfortunately disrupted my weekend plans to check out the FDR Presidential Library in upstate New York, but the gorgeous fall weather in the area was a welcome consolation.
    Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Finally, in the fourth quarter, Mac Jones let one rip downfield.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Rossi’s centering pass landed perfectly on Tarasenko’s stick blade, and the veteran ripped a rising shot over the shoulder of Flyers goalie Dan Vladar.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The incident on Saturday morning began when Oakland police were called about person who had broken into a home on the 11000 block of Ettrick Street, in a hills neighborhood near the Oakland Zoo.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The strongman leader broke precedent to remain head of the party and the state for a third term starting in 2022, and has so far avoided elevating an heir apparent.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The spectroscopic observations have shown that gravitational tidal forces from the white dwarf have torn it apart, scattering debris from the planetary body onto the surface of the white dwarf.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Whitney spends the film torn between exploring her family, friends, Asian bias, and trailblazers in the film industry, and creating a compelling, personable narrative to honor her family legacy.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
  • After Operation Shovel, the alliance between the Kinahans and the Hutches fractured.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • It’s hushed, melancholy and rending in all the best ways.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 16 July 2025
  • Dallas keeps bringing up last year’s six-game win over Colorado in an apparent effort to buck up themselves and their despondent fans, who are rending their garments over a meaningless seven-game losing streak to end the season.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The issue is the way improper technology use can fragment kids’ attention spans.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025
  • However, up to this point in the 2025 NFL season, Carter's play has been fragmented by injury and availability issues.
    Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rive. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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