rivet

verb

Definition of rivetnext
as in to focus
to fix (as one's attention) steadily toward a central objective everyone riveted their eyes on the trick that the magician was performing on stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 rivet Carter had been weakened by the Iran hostage crisis, which had riveted the country for the previous year, but the Reagan campaign worried that if Carter secured a hostage release just before voters headed to the polls, the election would be his. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 But like many other Venezuelans, I am riveted by the pictures of endless rubble, of buildings whose facades have collapsed, displaying the rooms inside like dioramas of life before disaster. — Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 Betty Kovacs, the eldest daughter of comedian Ernie Kovacs who with her sister Kippie and stepmother, actress-singer Edie Adams, was at the center of a nasty custody battle that kept Hollywood riveted in 1962, has died. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026 In a world riveted by an unprecedented fossil fuel crisis, does anyone have time for a big summit on climate change? — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rivet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivet
  1. focus
  2. concentrate
Verb
  • The latest court decisions, however, have focused on whether Shirilla's postconviction petition was filed on time rather than the merits of those arguments.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • It's all captured in the new documentary Handmade Future, directed by Kirsten Dickerson, the cofounder of Artist & Nomad, a social-impact business focused on craft.
    — Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of focus
Verb
  • Uber is also combining more teams and concentrating more employees in hubs like New York and San Francisco.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Most cases were not near Pittsburgh but were instead concentrated in Lancaster County, which reported 227 infections.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of concentrate

Browse Nearby Words

rives
rivet
riveted
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Cite this Entry

“Rivet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivet. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rivet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rivet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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