Synonyms

rive

American

[rahyv] / raɪv /

verb (used with object)

rived, rived, riven, riving

to tear or rend apart.

to rive meat from a bone.
to separate by striking; split; cleave.
to rend, harrow, or distress (the feelings, heart, etc.).
to split (wood) radially from a log.

verb (used without object)

rived, rived, riven, riving

to become rent or split apart.

stones that rive easily.

rive British

/ raɪv /

verb

to split asunder

a tree riven by lightning
to tear apart

riven to shreds
archaic to break (the heart) or (of the heart) to be broken

"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

unrived adjective

Etymology

Origin of rive

1225–75; Middle English riven < Old Norse rīfa to tear, split. See rift

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.

The Southeast Asian nation of some 50 million is riven by civil war and there will be no voting in rebel-held areas.

From Barron's

Long before Nancy's arrival, the club was riven with disharmony.

From BBC

Pope Leo XIV is encouraging Turkey to be a source of stability and dialogue in a world riven by conflict.

From Los Angeles Times

Spending cuts are even more difficult than in Britain—where welfare cuts have proved to be a political nonstarter—and securing a budget at all in a deeply riven French Parliament is a challenge.

From The Wall Street Journal

Small towns were riven between people calling themselves Patriots and British Loyalists.

From Salon

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