1
as in to disrupt
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 to rip
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 rive
Online scam factories – many run by Chinese crime syndicates – have proliferated in Myanmar, which has been riven by a bloody civil war since the military seized power in 2021.
—
Kocha Olarn, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Abdullah Rashid / Reuters file The visit, the first such trip to Iraq by a sitting pope, was at the time considered to be dangerous, with Iraq long riven by sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
—David Hodari, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024
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
In his unvarnished memoir, Laymon explores the cumulative mass of a past that has brought him to this point: his Blackness; his fraught relationship to food; his family, riven by loss and addiction and, in his mother’s case, a kind of pathological perfectionism.
—New York Times, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for rive
Kocha Olarn, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
Abdullah Rashid / Reuters file The visit, the first such trip to Iraq by a sitting pope, was at the time considered to be dangerous, with Iraq long riven by sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
—David Hodari, NBC News, 18 Dec. 2024
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
In his unvarnished memoir, Laymon explores the cumulative mass of a past that has brought him to this point: his Blackness; his fraught relationship to food; his family, riven by loss and addiction and, in his mother’s case, a kind of pathological perfectionism.
—New York Times, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for rive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rive
Verb
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This decision by the Russian Federation will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts for ordinary Russian citizens.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
10 Apr. 2025
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Behind the scenes there was no doubt other dreams were dashed and processes disrupted.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The bomb explodes at 9:02 a.m., ripping to ruins the nine-story structure.—
Todd Pendleton,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The thought of being ripped from her home, without time to pack up her belongings or say goodbye to friends, shakes her to the core.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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The only Heat players ruled out Wednesday are Nikola Jovic (broken right hand), Kevin Love (personal reasons) and Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery).—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With the Rays playing their 2025 home slate at the open-air Steinbrenner Field, after Hurricane Milton tore the roof off their own Tropicana Field in October, weather will now be a factor in everything from concessions to groundskeeping in a way the team has never managed before.—
Jason Clinkscales,
Sportico.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Hill is currently healing from tearing a ligament in his wrist in the 2024 season, but all signs are pointing to the star receiver remaining with the Dolphins at least through the 2025 season.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The club confirmed that Walker, on loan from Manchester City, fractured his elbow on Tuesday but did not put a timeframe on his recovery.—
Sam Joseph,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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Her bill has fractured the conference, surprisingly pitting hard-line conservatives against each other.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Seagull The season’s starriest show is Chekhov’s rending play about art, love and loss in a new version from Duncan Macmillan and Thomas Ostermeier, with Ostermeier directing.—
Matt Wolf,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
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In lesser hands, this might be one of those theatrical pieces that offers a nice excuse for actors to rend garments and gnash teeth onscreen — the sort of cinéma du Off-Broadway favored by microbudget indie directors and arthouse die-hards.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Paula Jo’s is one of the few storylines that remains fragmented by the end of Season 1, which leaves room for twists and turns if the show is greenlit for a second season.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2025
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The rate dropped slightly in 2024, but the violence continues as criminal groups have adapted and fragmented in the wake of a government crackdown.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rive. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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