as in to flip
to turn over pages in an idle or cursory manner
Web research is convenient but doesn't offer the tactile pleasures of riffling through heavy old books
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Recent Examples of riffle
Samindra Kunti, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Very often, the single word that completes the thought in a Maclean line is the fly that drops perfectly onto the riffle.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 May 2025
Stefan Krajisnik, USA TODAY, 20 July 2023
Keep reading to check out more weekend deals, or head straight to Amazon to riffle through everything else that's on sale right now.
—Amy Schulman, PEOPLE.com, 6 May 2022
See All Example Sentences for riffle
Verb
Tanks and soldiers with riffles have lined the streets of the Paraguayan capital all week.
—Samindra Kunti, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Very often, the single word that completes the thought in a Maclean line is the fly that drops perfectly onto the riffle.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 May 2025
Noun
Highlight reels of 13 SEC quarterbacks Milton was the talk of the offseason after riffling passes longer than 70 yards at the Manning Passing Academy in June.
—Stefan Krajisnik, USA TODAY, 20 July 2023
Keep reading to check out more weekend deals, or head straight to Amazon to riffle through everything else that's on sale right now.
—Amy Schulman, PEOPLE.com, 6 May 2022
See All Example Sentences for riffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffle
Verb
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At higher speeds, the wing's element flips up, enabling a 202 mph (325 km/h) top speed.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Sep. 2025
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The trajectory of the game flipped on Leo Chenal’s interception of Lamar Jackson as the defense muzzled one of the NFL’s most potent offenses.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pipe those wavelets of foie gras feculence over to neighboring Surfside, a two-bathroom kind of town with waste pipes galore.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 June 2025
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Its wavelets lap enticingly at our feet, but the breaker that might truly knock the breath out of us never comes.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Trees are leafing, birds are chirping and the mere thought of sending a Microsoft Teams or Slack message feels like an affront to Mother Nature; spring has finally sprung in Indianapolis.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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This is because of the increasing demands for networking and switches to connect exponentially larger clusters, from spine to leaf in the front end and back end, rack to rack and accelerator to accelerator.—
Beth Kindig,
Forbes,
19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Forgoing her usual twisted updo, Williams styled her hair in loose curls, cascading down the front of her body; her ends finished just below her chest.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Sep. 2025
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Press-and-curls recall preparation for special occasions and milestones.—
Essence,
Essence,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Since then, several states have thumbed their nose at the order.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Israel, a small nation dependent on our country for military support, is thumbing its nose at us, the most powerful country in the world.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Then, Argentine attacker Nicolas Fernandez’s roller was denied by the right post at the half-hour mark after racing past and cutting by centerback Maximiliano ‘Peluca’ Falcon.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
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Once you’re done with the paint roller, pour any leftover paint back into the can, carefully fold up the foil, and discard.—
Darcy Lenz,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Its polished lapels, caramel brown color, and thigh-skimming length all closely resemble Watts’ off-duty outfit.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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After the group agreed on the fringe, Giannetos got to work, crating a set of brow-skimming curtain bangs that blended beautifully into Moore's signature long dark hair.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In the scope was one of the many tiny fish bones that were found that day, probably belonging to a small comber or a wrasse.—
Paul Greenberg,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Dec. 2022
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The destructive combers continued to undermine dwellings near the water’s edge at West Newport Beach.—
Scott Harrison,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Riffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffle. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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