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
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 riven
Through intimate encounters and unfiltered conversations, White Man Walking captures a nation riven by fear, disinformation, and historical grievance, while also offering glimpses of empathy and human connection.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for riven
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for riven
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
Verb
-
Fragmented sleep, irregular sleep timing, and disrupted circadian rhythms can all negatively affect your health.—
Brian Mastroianni,
Health,
2 June 2026
-
Spurs deserve credit for acting swiftly and learning their lessons from last summer when the uncertainty over the future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou disrupted their plans and contributed to them missing out on key targets.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
When lettuce is cut, torn, or bruised, its cell walls break down.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
-
Hounded by a loud, impatient Eisenhower and faced with the very real evidence that a brutal trio of storms will make an early June invasion impossible, Stagg is torn between doing his duty and, well, doing his duty.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Serving for the match at 5-1, she was broken.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
And unlike Ötzi’s long-dead gut bacteria, which left just broken, aging fragments of DNA behind, the yeasts seem to be alive and reproducing (albeit at, ahem, a glacial pace).—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The fire ripped through Hawthorne Village on May 11, forcing families to stay in hotels, motels and with other relatives.—
Tammy Mutasa,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
On the first pitch of his assignment, Lewis ripped a 91 mph cutter from Omaha’s Mitch Spence for a home run.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The fashion ecosystem is fractured.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 May 2026
-
Jalen McMillan, a third-round draftee in 2024, fractured his neck making a catch in the first preseason game against Pittsburgh last year.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
