Synonyms of riposte

riposte 1 of 2

noun

ri-ˈpōst 

as in retort

a quick witty response

he's known for having a brilliant riposte to nearly any insult

Synonyms & Similar Words

• retort
• insult
• repartee
• comeback
• witticism
• quip
• squelch
• wisecrack
• zinger
• back talk
• sally
• put-down
• cut
• crack

riposte

2 of 2

verb

as in to respond

to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction

at cocktail parties she could riposte with lightning speed to even the most unexpected quip

Synonyms & Similar Words

• respond
• reply
• answer
• retort
• react
• comment
• return
• come back
• remark
• rejoin
• acknowledge
• explain
• counter
• correspond
• communicate
• defend
• refute
• deny
• rebut
• field

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ask
• question
• inquire
• challenge
• examine
• interrogate
• pump
• survey
• query
• quiz
• grill
• cross-examine
• poll

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of riposte

Noun

The riposte sealed his break with Surrealist affiliation. — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Even while suffering a rare home defeat, their first at home in the knockout stage of this competition since 1997, Diego Simeone’s side prevailed 3-2 on aggregate courtesy of Ademola Lookman’s critical first-half riposte. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2026

Verb

Some enemy attacks can only be dodged, while parrying others gives you the opportunity to riposte. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

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