riven

adjective

riv·​en ˈri-vən How to pronounce riven (audio)
: split apart
riven wood [=wood split apart along the grain]
: divided into pieces or factions
a riven nation
… beautifully nuanced portraits of a riven people, separated by more than an ocean.Mylène Dressler

Examples of riven in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Elwood, growing up in racially riven Tallahassee during the 1960s, is introduced first. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024 The collective past and our powerful feelings about it could be the key to healing the riven nation. Michael Morris, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024 This elite is riven with divisions and can struggle to reach consensus. Ali Reza Eshraghi, Foreign Affairs, 24 May 2023 Western media coverage painted a picture of a deeply divided country riven with ancient historical grievances. Renad Mansour, Foreign Affairs, 20 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for riven 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of riven was circa 1560

Dictionary Entries Near riven

Cite this Entry

“Riven.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riven. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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