rivet

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 The back-and-forth is the latest twist in a corporate saga that has riveted Hollywood in recent months. — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 Archaeologists found charcoal, animal bones (none of them chicken bones), Carhartt buttons dating back to the first half of the 20th century and a shovel head that appeared to have been re-riveted by hand multiple times before it was discarded. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026 The case riveted the public and spawned true crime documentaries, podcasts and books. — Dianne Gallagher, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Eating disorders can carry what Scaringi calls a whiff of the salacious, and feeling riveted by someone’s changing body isn’t the same as caring about their well-being. — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rivet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rivet
Verb
  • Jackson says this is because he’s determined to focus people on the company’s success, rather than their own individual advancement.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Andersen is also focused on making existing turbines more efficient.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But the latest release — though unlikely to materially affect the results of the upcoming election — once again concentrates attention on Tinubu’s time in the US.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Just as a still concentrates a large batch of weak liquid into a smaller batch of strong stuff, AI distillation condenses a big model into a smaller one that, ideally, acts like the original.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rivet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rivet. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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