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
Jalapeño adds a welcome whisper of heat to this fruity riff on the classic oyster accompaniment.
—
Derick Wade, Saveur, 15 Oct. 2025
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
The name is a riff on the seven rules of bourbon production.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
Derick Wade, Saveur, 15 Oct. 2025
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
The name is a riff on the seven rules of bourbon production.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riff
Noun
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What surprised Chong was how Wei’s interpretation added unexpected depth to the character.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
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For example, being able to reproduce data and always staying open to new interpretations.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It was reported that Rollins is believed to have hurt his arm after performing a coast-to-coast variation that ended in a headbutt.—
Fernando Quiles Jr,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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As the costs of these analyses went down and sample sizes went up, researchers identified many tiny but statistically significant associations between these small genetic variations and intelligence.—
Eric Turkheimer,
The Atlantic,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This is the web version of CEO Daily, a newsletter of must-read global insights from CEOs and industry leaders.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
14 Oct. 2025
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Talpa Studios also marked a milestone, with its quiz franchise The Floor getting its 30th international commission with new versions for MBC in the MENA region and a first Asian sale to Nippon TV in Japan.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riff. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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