1
: an ostinato phrase (as in jazz) typically supporting a solo improvisation
also
: a piece based on such a phrase
2
: a rapid energetic often improvised verbal outpouring
especially
: one that is part of a comic performance
3
: a succinct usually witty comment
4
: a distinct variation : take
a disturbing … riff on the Cinderella story—
Daria Donnelly
Daria Donnelly
riffed; riffing; riffs
: to perform, deliver, or make use of a riff
Examples of riff in a Sentence
Noun
He stole that riff from another song.
a mock news program with humorous riffs on current events
Recent Examples on the Web
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
And don’t forget to book a table at the bijou Il Piccolo restaurant, comprising just nine tables to offer—in the spirit of Violino d’Oro more broadly—subtle, meticulously executed riffs on classic Venetian fare and the flavors of the lagoon.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Despite everything going on, Shane is the same content creator, finding jokes in the most random thoughts, reacting to dream guest Taylor Swift or riffing on faux-historical events.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Then Again by engaging Colbert in a comedy riff-off that saw the pair taking hilarious jabs at each other on a variety of topics.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
And don’t forget to book a table at the bijou Il Piccolo restaurant, comprising just nine tables to offer—in the spirit of Violino d’Oro more broadly—subtle, meticulously executed riffs on classic Venetian fare and the flavors of the lagoon.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
Vineland, the Thomas Pynchon novel Anderson is loosely riffing on, hinges on the relationship between ’60s revolutionaries and ’80s yuppies, but One Battle isn’t set in the 1980s, either.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
Despite everything going on, Shane is the same content creator, finding jokes in the most random thoughts, reacting to dream guest Taylor Swift or riffing on faux-historical events.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riff. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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