1
: an ostinato phrase (as in jazz) typically supporting a solo improvisation
also
: a piece based on such a phrase
2
: a rapid energetic often improvised verbal outpouring
especially
: one that is part of a comic performance
3
: a succinct usually witty comment
4
: a distinct variation : take
a disturbing … riff on the Cinderella story—
Daria Donnelly
Daria Donnelly
riffed; riffing; riffs
: to perform, deliver, or make use of a riff
Examples of riff in a Sentence
Noun
He stole that riff from another song.
a mock news program with humorous riffs on current events
Recent Examples on the Web
Barry Levitt, Time, 25 July 2025
Pallini Limoncello is zingy and just sweet enough to create an exciting flavor profile of a spritz riff.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Amaya Nichole, Time, 25 July 2025
Stone and Parker were clearly riffing on their corporate parent’s eventful summer.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
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Noun
In this sense, Oh, Hi! feels like a riff on Misery.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 25 July 2025
Pallini Limoncello is zingy and just sweet enough to create an exciting flavor profile of a spritz riff.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
Their writing process often involved riffing on simple, silly concepts and building characters around bizarre premises or one-joke ideas that could evolve into something more substantial.
—Amaya Nichole, Time, 25 July 2025
Stone and Parker were clearly riffing on their corporate parent’s eventful summer.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for riff
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riff. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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