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Synonyms

ridden

1 American  
[rid-n] / ˈrɪd n /

verb

  1. a past participle of ride.

-ridden 2 American  

  1. a combining form meaning “obsessed with,” “overwhelmed by” (torment-ridden ) or “full of,” “burdened with” (debt-ridden ).

ridden British  
/ ˈrɪdən /

verb

  1. the past participle of ride

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. (in combination) afflicted, affected, or dominated by something specified

    damp-ridden

    disease-ridden
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unridden adjective
  • well-ridden adjective

Etymology

Origin of -ridden

Special use of ridden

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie, winner of last year's Arkle Chase, will be ridden by Nico de Boinville.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

The former product instructor from the San Francisco Bay Area has ridden the tech wave throughout his career, easily jumping from Verizon to Fitbit to Workday.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

A pioneer of low-cost, follow-the-market index funds, Vanguard has ridden the decadeslong rise of passive investing in the U.S. to a $12 trillion pile of assets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Newmont, one of the world’s largest gold miners, has ridden the yellow metal’s 75% price surge over the past 12 months.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

Gracie says, “Oh, come on, Sheryl, it’ll be fun. We’ll take the bus like Lou and Alexa do. I've never ridden one without my parents, and it’s on my bucket list.”

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.