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
So, yeah, lots and lots of folks have had the opportunity to melt into a perfect melody or bust a move to a ripsnorting riff over the years.
—
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
This rustic meal is a company's-coming riff on the old-school chicken-and-rice number.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
Kimmel’s award was a riff on Donald Trump‘s desire for a Nobel Peace Prize.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2026
The final movement starts off with a timpani riff, which triggers a cocky dance that invokes Peterson’s high-speed fingers, shooting off at Road Runner pace.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
This rustic meal is a company's-coming riff on the old-school chicken-and-rice number.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
Kimmel’s award was a riff on Donald Trump‘s desire for a Nobel Peace Prize.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2026
The final movement starts off with a timpani riff, which triggers a cocky dance that invokes Peterson’s high-speed fingers, shooting off at Road Runner pace.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riff
Noun
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Modern Deco interpretations can lean a bit more minimalist, but often still include bold colors.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
10 Mar. 2026
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For more than a century, that interpretation shaped both textbook and casual medical wisdom.—
Lilia Goncharova,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Fill up on gas and peruse a staggering menu of over 700 variations of fizzy pop, including weird and wonderful flavors such as teriyaki beef jerky soda.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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The results help scientists better understand the geological differences between the near side and far side of the Moon, including variations in volcanic activity and crust formation that date back billions of years.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Torque-vectoring control and performance braking package The four-wheel-drive version of the Ti3 adds a series of premium features aimed at improving performance, comfort, and the overall driving experience.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
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But what October 7th did was create the political possibility that the most extreme version of settlements, which had been on the shelf for many years, could be accelerated and pushed past the finish line.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riff. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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