rive

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2
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 Just as the imperatives of war led to the development of the SNA in the 1940s, the new exigencies of a world riven by trade wars, geopolitical instability, and supply shocks require a modern statistical framework. Diane Coyle, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025 Trust in institutions is at a historic low; faith communities themselves are riven by conflict. Christopher Hale, Time, 9 May 2025 The Trump administration is said to be riven by an internal debate over how the United States should approach the post-Assad regime in Syria. Noah Rothman, National Review, 22 Apr. 2025 Those subsequent parts demonstrated her box-office appeal as well as her ability to grippingly portray characters riven by trauma. Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rive
Verb
  • Globally, heatwaves, droughts, and extreme weather are disrupting supply chains, inflating food prices, and undermining financial stability.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • These attacks don’t just disrupt operations but also expose deeply personal financial information that can fuel identity theft, fraud and long-term reputational damage.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Reinhart strips, dips, rips: Panthers lead, 1-0 As Brad Marchand opened the scoring in Game 5 with a fantastic individual effort, Sam Reinhart did the same for the Panthers in Game 6 with a goal that incorporated Marchand’s payoff move on his second Game 5 goal.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
  • All-Time Anniversary Twelve years ago, Ray Allen hit The Shot On this date, back in 2013, one of the greatest shots in basketball history ripped through the net.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • He was later fired for misconduct stemming from the case and broke his silence in a series of interviews after Read's verdict was announced, after he was not invited to take the stand in her second trial.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 21 June 2025
  • Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh broke one of Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s records in the team’s 9-4 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • In Gabès, a coastal oasis suffocated by a chemical complex, a fishing family is torn between survival and escape.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 June 2025
  • Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon during the first quarter of the Pacers 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the very last game of the NBA season, on Sunday night and has subsequently undergone surgery to repair it.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • In the years to come, a Russian encroachment onto the territory of a Baltic member of NATO, coupled with threats to use nuclear weapons if NATO resisted, could fracture the West.
    KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
  • Relations between cities and counties can certainly fracture.
    Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • The Seagull The season’s starriest show is Chekhov’s rending play about art, love and loss in a new version from Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier, with Ostermeier directing.
    Matt Wolf, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • If your cloud infrastructure is fragmented, your teams are disjointed or your workflows are patchwork-based, AI will only amplify the dysfunction that exists.
    Hrushikesh Deshmukh, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • The canons dismantled during the Theory incursion of the 1970s and ’80s introduced a more inclusive world of letters, even as the upheaval left English departments fragmented.
    Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 16 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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