riven

verb

variants also rived
Definition of rivennext
past participle of rive
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

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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 The school was poorly funded, riven by gang violence, and deeply segregated by race and class. — Gioia Woods, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026 Scout Island, on the north side of the park, is particularly riven through with odd trails and random stick deadfalls. — Outside, 17 Feb. 2026 The Venezuelan opposition has always been riven with divisions. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026 Kennedy and his allies have been highly critical of federal expert panels, often alleging that they are riven with conflicts of interest, despite federal data showing otherwise. — ABC News, 29 June 2026 When the founding leader and first president of the Turkish Republic, Kemal Atatürk, took office in 1923, the country was riven by clashes between different ethnic groups. — Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026 Membership has become more of an issue in the matters of who is authorized to speak for two other acts that are still listed on the bill, and who have riven current or former members, Milli Vanilli and C&C Music Factory. — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 May 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riven
  1. disrupted
  2. torn
  3. broken
  4. ripped
  5. fractured
Verb
  • The dangerous temperatures have already disrupted several events scheduled for Friday.
    — Erin McGarry, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The overlap of two warming patterns — one regional and one climate-scale — could compound stress on marine food webs that have already been repeatedly disrupted over the past decade.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of disrupted
Verb
  • The easiest throw-on-and-go piece, shorts are a summer must-have permanently in my suitcase—but the style of shorts is very specific—nothing too short, tight, or torn.
    — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026
  • Start on East Passyunk Avenue at Sao, a raw bar from the team behind the beloved Cambodian noodle house Mawn, for aged hamachi crudo dressed in coconut cream, torn lime leaves and crushed peanuts ($27).
    — Regan Stephens, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of torn
Verb
  • Historic heat Since Thursday, heat in the East has broken at least three dozen daily high temperature records, many warmest-low-temperature records as heat reached levels that some cities haven’t experienced in more than a decade.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Pfendler appears to have broken both the previous women's speed record as well as the men's speed record, according to records maintained by Ocean Rowing Society International, which adjudicates ocean-rowing achievements for Guinness World Records.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of broken
Verb
  • Lamine Yamal, with the ball bouncing inside the box, spun and ripped a shot that Austria's goalkeeper just stopped for a corner kick.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
  • The statement also ripped Shipnuck for citing a source in which Mickelson's wife, Amy, played a role in his departures from clubs.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of ripped
Verb
  • However, proximity matters little if an enterprise is fractured internally by the adversarial divide between Business and IT.
    — Barney Krishnan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • What began with a total hip replacement turned into an even longer recovery after Gifford fractured her hip and required another surgery.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of fractured

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Cite this Entry

“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riven. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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