as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play)
a mock news program with humorous riffs on current events
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of riff
The Greenpoint is an excellent neo-classic riff on a Manhattan that was invented at Milk & Honey in New York, and comprises the classic build of Manhattan—rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters—into which has been spliced the inimitable French herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse.
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Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
The drink menu is divided into familiar categories — martini, negroni, spritz, highball, collins, sour, old-fashioned — and each is led by the classic iteration, followed by several riffs on the category.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
The landing page for the band’s site contains 10 new riffs… which, for those hoping for actual new songs from the group, definitely counts as a start.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Laura managed to jot the trumpet part into a notebook, but by then, Sun Ra’s riffs had changed.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
The drink menu is divided into familiar categories — martini, negroni, spritz, highball, collins, sour, old-fashioned — and each is led by the classic iteration, followed by several riffs on the category.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
The landing page for the band’s site contains 10 new riffs… which, for those hoping for actual new songs from the group, definitely counts as a start.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Laura managed to jot the trumpet part into a notebook, but by then, Sun Ra’s riffs had changed.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riff
Noun
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My protagonist, Dunya Dawood, is learning to separate the essence of Islam from the patriarchal interpretations that tend to cloud it.—
Hafsa Lodi,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
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In every sense, Fennel's interpretation is more about realizing the fantasies women project onto the gothic romance than staying faithful to the original novel.—
Madeline Hirsch,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Across all participants, body mass index stood out as one of the strongest drivers of oral microbial variation, suggesting the microbiome of the mouth may reflect a broader metabolic state.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
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When a species is reduced to just a few hundred individuals, maintaining healthy genetic variation becomes one of the most important challenges conservationists face.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The style is also available in an ankle-height version and a range of hues, including chocolate brown and deep maroon.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
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Similar to traditional chili, this meatless version gets its flavor from tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, beans, cumin, garlic, and onion.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riff. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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