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
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
Trump ends the year weak and unpopular, his coalition dispirited and riven by infighting.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
The country of about 230 million people, by far the most populous in Africa, is split roughly evenly between Muslim and Christian populations and has been riven by violence for decades.
—Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riven
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan opposition has always been riven with divisions.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Trump ends the year weak and unpopular, his coalition dispirited and riven by infighting.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
The country of about 230 million people, by far the most populous in Africa, is split roughly evenly between Muslim and Christian populations and has been riven by violence for decades.
—Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
Verb
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Economic and religious activities disrupted by DHS Muslims in Minneapolis, estimated now to be more than 100,000, have lived in the city for well over a century, and the city has embraced them.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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When breathing stops or becomes shallow, sleep is disrupted and the body may experience drops in oxygen.—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Set on the eve of the German invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands, the drama explores the situation for Belgian Jews, torn between staying in their homeland amid or fleeing for an unknown destiny, through the prism of a love story and the microcosm of the broadcast radio world.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2026
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Later it was revealed that Cauldwell-Clarke had torn a ligament in his back.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Now, two months after the tragedy, the comedian has broken his silence about the death of his good friends.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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The process wasn’t entirely broken, but the results were unforgiving.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Remember that donated items should still be suitable for use—don't give away anything that's ripped, stained, or broken.—
Maggie Gillette,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
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The stock ripped higher from April 2025 through August 2025, gaining nearly 120% over that stretch.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The accident fractured Canter’s skull in four places.—
Eddie Pells,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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The film’s delicate opening scenes, of an aged couple ascending a public staircase arm-in-arm, are quickly fractured by stark images that yank the story into a harsh, unforgiving reality.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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