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
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
Now the scramble is on to define the future of Syria, quickly, to prevent ethnic, political, and sectarian rivalries from triggering a war even more divisive than the conflict that has riven the nation for thirteen years.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The government procurement process for military hardware functions intermittently and is riven with inefficiency, bureaucracy and still suffers from corruption.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for riven
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Aug. 2025
The House’s action was riven with partisanship.
—Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
Now the scramble is on to define the future of Syria, quickly, to prevent ethnic, political, and sectarian rivalries from triggering a war even more divisive than the conflict that has riven the nation for thirteen years.
—Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The government procurement process for military hardware functions intermittently and is riven with inefficiency, bureaucracy and still suffers from corruption.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for riven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
Verb
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As Congress inches closer to a possible government shutdown, many federal services North Carolinians depend on might be disrupted.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
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The evacuation disrupted regular campus activities and prompted swift coordination between school administrators and law enforcement.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Here’s King from this afternoon saying he was torn over it.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Hill will miss the season after sustaining a dislocated knee and torn ACL in Monday’s 27-21 win against the Jets.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Filosa, a native Italian with more than two decades of experience in the Stellantis family of automakers, replaced former Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares, whose rocky tenure fractured relationships with the UAW and dealers alike.—
Liam Rappleye,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
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Filosa, a native Italian with more than two decades of experience in the Stellantis family of automakers, replaced former Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares, whose rocky tenure fractured relationships with the UAW and dealers alike.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the fourth quarter, Seguin’s defense forced another turnover when Micah Bolden ripped the ball away from a Wolves player and returned it to midfield.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Oct. 2025
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Its approach to comedy is ripped straight from the world of musical cast parties and improv shows, with every performer doing their best to turn every line into a GIF-able burst of wholesome self-deprecation.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Earlier this week, the Upper Peninsula reported three records broken.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Each new Taylor Swift record means a new cultural movement, more records to be broken, and, perhaps most integral, a batch of songs to contextualize in the Swiftian canon.—
Jaeden Pinder,
Pitchfork,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 18 qualified teams were split into pots of three, according to their UEFA coefficient, and were drawn against two teams from each pot, with three matches away and three at home.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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So, all those nine teams splitting the first two on the road won the series … right?—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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