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
Many roads in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, are poorly maintained and riven with potholes, causing accidents that claim dozens of lives every year.
—
Reuters, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Khamenei’s influential, ideological armed force, has been riven by divisions between its older, conservative commanders and its younger, radical ranks.
—Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
But the pressures on Israel to rein in its survival instincts at a time when it is riven with deep political, religious, and maybe existential divisions are having little obvious traction.
—Nic Robertson, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024
The Amos family has been riven by dissension for at least a year, with Shannon having accused her brother of failing to provide adequate health care for their elderly father, who died at 84.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for riven
Reuters, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Khamenei’s influential, ideological armed force, has been riven by divisions between its older, conservative commanders and its younger, radical ranks.
—Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
But the pressures on Israel to rein in its survival instincts at a time when it is riven with deep political, religious, and maybe existential divisions are having little obvious traction.
—Nic Robertson, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024
The Amos family has been riven by dissension for at least a year, with Shannon having accused her brother of failing to provide adequate health care for their elderly father, who died at 84.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for riven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
Verb
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And while those enforcement actions have not yet translated into criminal cases or fines against the employers, the raids themselves in some cases significantly disrupted business operations.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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Muscle cramps and playing surfaces As muscles fatigue, the normal balance between signals in the nervous system that direct muscles to contract and relax become disrupted.—
Michael Hales,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Unbeknownst to everyone, Jesse survived and has now returned home, leaving Emma torn between two great loves.—
Katie Mannion,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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His portrayal of Don, a young man torn between loyalty and the yearning for truth, is raw, honest and is the emotional backbone.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The United dressing room was said to be toxic and fractured when Mourinho departed, with Solskjaer would be the man to repair it.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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By the eve of the Civil War, pro-slavery Southerners had even fractured the Democratic Party, which had long done their bidding.—
Time,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Eastern Washington’s first drive ended when defensive back Jaden Mickey ripped the ball out of a receiver’s hands for a fumble recovery.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
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The zany battle reached a dramatic conclusion when Thing ripped Isaac’s mechanical heart from his chest, ending his life… again.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sinner has been broken four times, Alcaraz twice.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Dig up the entire clump and remove dead or broken roots.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Others view it as a brazen attempt to split up Kansas City’s minority voters.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
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That resulted in a hung parliament split between the National Rally, the left-wing New Popular Front, and Macron’s Renaissance bloc.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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