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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Water pressure is building back up in the Oakland County, Michigan, communities affected by a 42-inch water main that broke early Sunday and disrupted service.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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But last month, as Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz disrupted exports from other nations, that proportion surged to 18%, Xu said.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Verb
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As conditions have grown hotter, the buildup of dense vegetation has fueled extreme fires that have torn through vast stretches of land.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
7 May 2026
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After his teenage son goes missing, Daniel combs the depths of the Vistula River day and night, caught in a grueling, endless routine and torn between the dread of a fatal leap and the fragile hope that his son may still be alive.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Sinner came back from a 3-0 deficit only to be broken again in the 12th game and concede the set to Medvedev.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
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Christine said the nation’s health institutions and policies were broken, and average Americans distrusted healthcare systems.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, male athletes get ripped to shreds 24/7 on television, radio, podcasts and social media without anyone questioning whether the existence of criticism itself is harmful to the sport.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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Ensure the item is in working condition and not damaged, broken, or ripped.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The early results confirm that British politics – once a two-way fight between the heavyweight Labour and Conservative parties – has fractured into a multi-party system, with the once-dominant parties now leaking votes to Reform, the progressive Liberal Democrats, and to the Greens.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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In the end, Walmart’s system wasn’t broken; it was fractured by too many middlemen and too little accountability.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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