riposte

noun

ri·​poste ri-ˈpōst How to pronounce riposte (audio)
1
: a fencer's quick return thrust following a parry
2
: a retaliatory verbal sally : retort
3
: a retaliatory maneuver or measure
riposte verb

Did you know?

In the sport of fencing, a riposte is a counterattack made after successfully fending off one's opponent. English speakers borrowed the name for this particular maneuver from French in the early 1700s, but the French had simply modified the Italian word risposta, which literally means "answer." Ultimately these words come from the Latin verb respondēre, meaning "to respond." It seems fitting that riposte has since come full circle to now refer to a quick and witty response performed as a form of retaliation.

Examples of riposte in a Sentence

he's known for having a brilliant riposte to nearly any insult
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Trump’s willingness to take risks, his boldness in appearing in places and situations where the old Republican Party feared to tread, his knack for the memorable photo and cutting riposte have defined his political career and the 2024 campaign. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 2 Nov. 2024 With sharp ripostes and canny traps, Harris baited Trump into boasting about his crowd sizes, grousing about the 2020 election, and standing up for the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power. Brian Bennett, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024 In an attention getting riposte, the aforementioned Polis penned a satirical letter calling for a ban on the dollar. Brady Dale, Axios, 3 Sep. 2024 Although the United States and its allies could deal with such ripostes, there would be no obvious military strategy to bring even a desultory exchange of strikes and counterstrikes to an end. Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010 See all Example Sentences for riposte 

Word History

Etymology

French, modification of Italian risposta, literally, answer, from rispondere to respond, from Latin respondēre

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of riposte was in 1707

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near riposte

Cite this Entry

“Riposte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riposte. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

riposte

noun
ri·​poste ri-ˈpōst How to pronounce riposte (audio)
1
: a fencer's quick return thrust
2
: a quick reply or action in return

More from Merriam-Webster on riposte

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!