rivet
noun
riv·et
| \ ˈri-vət
\
\
Definition of rivet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a headed pin or bolt of metal used for uniting two or more pieces by passing the shank through a hole in each piece and then beating or pressing down the plain end so as to make a second head
rivet
verb
riveted;
riveting;
rivets
Definition of rivet (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to fasten with or as if with rivets
2
: to upset the end or point of (something, such as a metallic pin, rod, or bolt) by beating or pressing so as to form a head
3
: to fasten or fix firmly
stood riveted by fright
4
: to attract and hold (something, such as a person's attention) completely
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Synonyms for rivet
Synonyms: Verb
center, concentrate, fasten, focus, train
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Examples of rivet in a Sentence
Verb
The iron plates are riveted rather than welded. everyone riveted their eyes on the trick that the magician was performing on stageRecent Examples on the Web: Noun
The shoes are 100% cotton and feature a lace-up vamp with silver-tone rivets. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Kate Middleton's Favorite Superga Sneakers Are Only $42 Today," 15 July 2019 The Holy Bible, by contrast, sounded harsh and claustrophobic; listening to it felt like being trapped in the bowels of a giant machine, surrounded by clanking pistons and rattling rivets and vats of bubbling oil. — Longreads, "Manic Street Preachers’ Album The Holy Bible," 25 June 2019 Technically, the company recreated the moment five years ago, when Nvidia calculated the visual aspects of the landing, modelling the individual rivets on the lander and modelling the reflectivity of Neil Armstrong's spacesuit and the lunar dust. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Nvidia models the Apollo 11 moon landing using RTX technology," 19 July 2019 Coffee steeps in the top chamber, which has a rivet at the bottom. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "High-design coffee maker looks like a ceramic pot," 12 June 2019 The original, gloriously zaftig and triumphant Rosie the Riveter (modeled after Michelangelo’s Prophet Isaiah, in the Sistine Chapel) eats a sandwich on her lunch break, rivet gun still nestled on her lap. — Kevin Baker, Harper's magazine, "Freedom from Inspiration," 10 Mar. 2019 This Sandro Yza bag in black with gold rivet details is great and a perfect gift! — Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, "6 Impossibly Chic Fashion Moms Share Their Dream Mother’s Day Gifts," 9 May 2019 Their genius is being able to identify a ship’s weakest rivets before setting sail, and formulating a plan that protects them from unsustainable pressure. — Sam Walker, WSJ, "The Truth About Failing Spectacularly," 16 Feb. 2019 Additionally, each piece is inspected for rivets, which attach handles to the pan, and create additional crevices that require cleaning. — Betty Gold, Good Housekeeping, "5 Best Ceramic Cookware Sets to Buy in 2019, According to Kitchen Product Experts," 1 Mar. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The allegations of corporate espionage have riveted Silicon Valley and spurred more than $372 million in settlements between the multibillion-dollar companies, while exposing the cutthroat rivalries in the race to put robot cars on the road. — Taylor Kate Brown, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Briefing: CSU does the math — and wants students to take more of it," 28 Aug. 2019 Your job, work or a project can rivet your attention. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive.com, "Horoscope for Aug. 22, 2019: Happy birthday Kristen Wiig; Leo, whip up something exciting," 22 Aug. 2019 Since Saturday, Castro has been riveted by the news coverage of the massacre. — Dallas News, "Mexico vows solidarity, talks tough as the nation copes with the El Paso massacre," 6 Aug. 2019 In India, business commentators were riveted by the apparent suicide of V.G. Siddhartha. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, "In India and China, Scandals Blunt Investor Confidence: CEO Daily," 1 Aug. 2019 Sun back-and-forth statements in the past three days have riveted—and confused—the crypto world. — Jane Li, Quartz, "Justin Sun praises China’s socialism in apology amid pressure from authorities," 25 July 2019 Twenty-five years ago today, Americans were riveted by the real-life drama unfolding on their TV screens as O.J. Simpson led police on a slow-speed chase in a white Bronco. — Brian Pascus, CBS News, "25 years later, cameraman who filmed the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase calls it "pretty historical"," 17 June 2019 Last night, Game of Thrones, a series that has riveted its diehard fanbase unlike any other, drew to a close with mixed emotions. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "Maisie Williams Says Goodbye to Game of Thrones by Going Blonde," 20 May 2019 Some staffers felt the cuts hurt Univision when its viewers were riveted by the nation’s immigration debate. — Benjamin Mullin, WSJ, "‘I Quit, I Quit!’ Boardroom Turmoil Aggravates Univision’s Problems," 26 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rivet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for rivet
rivet
noun
English Language Learners Definition of rivet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a special kind of metal bolt or pin that is used to hold pieces of metal together
rivet
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of rivet (Entry 2 of 2)
: to attract and hold all of someone's attention
: to make (someone) unable to move because of fear, shock, etc.
: to fasten (something) with rivets
See the full definition for rivet in the English Language Learners Dictionary
rivet
noun
riv·et
| \ ˈri-vət
\
\
Kids Definition of rivet
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a bolt with a head that is passed through two or more pieces and is hammered into place
rivet
verb
riveted;
riveting
Kids Definition of rivet (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to fasten with rivets
2
: to attract and hold (as someone's attention) completely
We were riveted by the story.
3
: to make (someone) unable to move because of fear or shock