1
as in disrupting
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 tearing
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riving
Verb
-
Suggs set the tone for the series in the opening quarter of Game 1, disrupting Pistons passes, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and belly-flopping to the floor to collect a loose basketball.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026 -
Rather than relying on a future sale, many owners are proactively planning how to fund taxes and expenses without disrupting operations.—
Fennemore,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During a late-night safety test, the power plant’s Number 4 reactor exploded, tearing through the building and sending a column of radioactive material into the sky.—
Benjamin Mack-Jackson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The one that was about ambition and friendship and celebrating women, not tearing them down.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations and breaking news for USA TODAY.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The passengers include the requisite obnoxious jerk, Dan (Angus Sampson), already throwing his weight around and breaking no-smoking rules at LAX.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Because our state refused to cooperate with the military-style deportations that are ripping families apart across California.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
But Bellinger snapped out of it Friday, ripping two doubles in the Yankees’ win over the Orioles.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Germany is planning to boost defense spending to reach new NATO targets well ahead of schedule, seeking to bolster self-reliance amid fracturing ties with the US.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But for now, Mendoza argues, the monarchy’s purpose is not governance, but access to the king, which may still have a chance to keep the relationship from fracturing beyond repair.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Riving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riving. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
