riffle 1 of 2

verb

ˈri-fəl How to pronounce riffle (audio)
Definition of rifflenext
as in to flip
to turn over pages in an idle or cursory manner Web research is convenient but doesn't offer the tactile pleasures of riffling through heavy old books

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

riffle

2 of 2

noun

as in wavelet

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of riffle
Verb
Palm fronds riffled in the hot breeze as the sky darkened and the air smelled, mysteriously, of salad dressing. — Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2024 Keep reading to check out more weekend deals, or head straight to Amazon to riffle through everything else that's on sale right now. — Amy Schulman, PEOPLE.com, 6 May 2022
Noun
Tanks and soldiers with riffles have lined the streets of the Paraguayan capital all week. — Samindra Kunti, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025 Very often, the single word that completes the thought in a Maclean line is the fly that drops perfectly onto the riffle. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for riffle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffle
  1. flip
  2. wavelet
  3. leaf
  4. curl
  5. thumb
  6. roller
  7. skim
  8. comber
Verb
  • Special attention Democrats face an uphill climb to flip control of chambers at the Georgia Capitol or the congressional delegation in the midterms.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But Democrat Brian Poindexter is a modest favorite to flip the seat if Miller remains his opponent amid the scandal.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of flip
Noun
  • Pipe those wavelets of foie gras feculence over to neighboring Surfside, a two-bathroom kind of town with waste pipes galore.
    — Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2025
  • Its wavelets lap enticingly at our feet, but the breaker that might truly knock the breath out of us never comes.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of wavelet
Verb
  • Planting a leafed-out, growing hosta from a pot is identical to any other transplanting process.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 29 June 2026
  • Twelve-hundred years passed in the shade of the Major Oak of Sherwood Forest before it was declared dead after failing to come to leaf.
    — Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Definition of leaf
Noun
  • Following her blonde era, Zendaya opted to chop off her locks and embrace her curls.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
  • Maye’s final period featured completions to Brown on a curl route in front of Gonzalez, Romeo Doubs running an out route and Brown again on a slant, this time in front of Charles Woods.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of curl
Verb
  • Hawkins, by contrast, almost seems to be thumbing his nose at the whole concept of existing as a complex, nuanced human being.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • In one scene, a pair of revellers dance naked just outside the fence of the Calvary Cemetery, thumbing their noses at the reaper while the Manhattan skyline towers in the distance.
    — Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
Definition of thumb
Noun
  • Following the consolidation, the production capacity for Inpro’s shower curtains, cubicle curtains and roller shades was expected to increase, the company’s 2024 statement said.
    — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The community resource includes a wide array of amenities, including hiking trails, pickleball courts, picnic areas, a roller hockey facility and tennis courts.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of roller
Verb
  • Similar to Fey’s vest, this style has a hip-skimming length and tailored construction that adds a dressy touch to tops, including boxy T-shirts.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Ab-baring crop tops are a sexy way to balance a floor-skimming hemline.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of skim
Noun
  • In the scope was one of the many tiny fish bones that were found that day, probably belonging to a small comber or a wrasse.
    — Paul Greenberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Dec. 2022
  • The destructive combers continued to undermine dwellings near the water’s edge at West Newport Beach.
    — Scott Harrison, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2019
Definition of comber

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Cite this Entry

“Riffle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffle. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on riffle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about riffle

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