What does shriven mean?
Shriven is an archaic past participle of shrive, a verb meaning to confess one's sins and receive forgiveness. In its original religious sense, a person is shriven after making a confession to a priest and being absolved. The word can also be used more broadly to mean pardoned, forgiven, or relieved of guilt, especially in literary or historical writing. It conveys a stronger and more formal sense of moral absolution than the ordinary word forgiven, often suggesting that the guilt has been acknowledged and formally resolved. Today, shriven survives mainly in phrases such as being shriven or in descriptions of a person whose conscience is considered clear. Its unusual ending may make it memorable, but its use is uncommon in modern conversation.
verbArchaic past participle of shrive: having confessed one's sins and been absolved, especially by a priest. More generally, it can mean pardoned or forgiven.
- Having confessed one's sins and received absolution, especially from a priest.
- In extended or literary use, pardoned, absolved, or forgiven.
"The penitent felt spiritually shriven after confessing his sins."
"After a long confession, he felt washed clean and shriven."
"No explanation could make the king feel entirely shriven after betraying his oath."
Long before people said they were "born again," they could describe being "shriven" after confession and absolution.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shriven come from?
Shriven is the old past participle of shrive, whose historical sense was connected with making a confession and receiving absolution. The word belongs to a family including shrive, shrift, and shriver; shrift refers to confession or absolution, while a shriver was someone who heard confessions. The modern meaning reflects the older religious practice of confessing sins to a priest in order to receive forgiveness.
How shriven is actually used
Chiefly archaic, historical, or literary. It is much more common in formal and religious contexts than in everyday modern speech.
Easily confused with shriven
Shriven is a participle meaning absolved through confession; the similar-looking word shrunken is a participle meaning contracted or reduced in size.