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
At at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, a radiant, tropical riff on Brazil’s iconic Caipirinha, the Yellow Card blends Reyka Vodka with Leblon Cachaça for a smooth yet lively base layered with Chinola mango liqueur, fresh lime, and raw sugar.
—
Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
But that's what Peacock did in April 2026, when the streamer passed on a reboot of Clueless, the classic 1995 riff on Jane Austen's Emma, starring Alicia Silverstone as a bougie Beverly Hills teen navigating love and friendship.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Today, bakers across France riff on the classic by adding everything from tahini to cherries and peanuts.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
Easy and elegant, this rolled riff on pavlova is filled with strawberries and berry-rhubarb jam.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
But that's what Peacock did in April 2026, when the streamer passed on a reboot of Clueless, the classic 1995 riff on Jane Austen's Emma, starring Alicia Silverstone as a bougie Beverly Hills teen navigating love and friendship.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Today, bakers across France riff on the classic by adding everything from tahini to cherries and peanuts.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
Easy and elegant, this rolled riff on pavlova is filled with strawberries and berry-rhubarb jam.
—Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for riff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riff
Noun
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Host cities, many of whom already feel burned by the scale of costs associated with preparing for the World Cup, have taken a very literal interpretation of the contractual obligations.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
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Anything that challenges that interpretation of what ancient history is threatens their identity in terms of their gender and racial identities.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
23 June 2026
Noun
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The second area focuses on custom development, where engineers will design new battery cell variations specifically to meet the unique safety standards, structural dimensions, and weight limitations required for commercial aerospace applications.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
20 June 2026
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Blanca Vanburian, who was doing a variation of Tai Chi on the lawn outside her apartment building, had several good questions, including one about whether the city could be trusted to maintain a new park.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Noun
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One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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Update to the latest version to see all Vogue content, as well as new features like our Runway Genius quiz, Group Chats, and posts from Vogue contributors.—
Alexandra Macon,
Vogue,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riff. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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