as in interpretation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play)
a mock news program with humorous riffs on current events
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 riff
Parker confirms that a riff on a classic painkiller cocktail is one of the most popular items on the menu of the team’s latest pop-up bar.
—
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2025
Erickson, Stiller and production designer Jeremy Hindle have a knack for building setups that riff on corporations’ uncanny, infantilizing methods of control, yet feel more oblique and mysterious than straight satire.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
As a riff on another classic dessert (strawberry cheesecake), these cookies have a gooey cream cheese center and bits of fresh strawberry throughout the dough.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
Wayne’s muscular guitar riff and electric energy on the song became one of the group’s defining musical moments.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for riff 
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2025
Erickson, Stiller and production designer Jeremy Hindle have a knack for building setups that riff on corporations’ uncanny, infantilizing methods of control, yet feel more oblique and mysterious than straight satire.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
As a riff on another classic dessert (strawberry cheesecake), these cookies have a gooey cream cheese center and bits of fresh strawberry throughout the dough.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
Wayne’s muscular guitar riff and electric energy on the song became one of the group’s defining musical moments.
—Darryn King, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for riff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riff
Noun
-
Aamir’s sculptures fuse scientific reality with interpretations created by her imagination.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Trump’s executive order engages in his own constitutional interpretation that is arguably in conflict with the Court’s.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
The New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
This is an important distinction because year-to-year variations in the precipitation that falls during the winter wet season don’t substantially change the abundance of plants in forests.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Speaking of chicken pizzas: An unexpected variation on the theme took over my social media feed lately.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The song’s sound and message resonated with listeners, prompting Lake to release his eight-track EP Hard Fought Hallelujah: Heavyweight Edition, featuring various versions of the song, including live, demo, acoustic and instrumental versions.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The Spanish language version of the White House website was deleted after the inauguration yesterday.—
Kristen Waggoner,
Newsweek,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near riff
Cite this Entry
“Riff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riff. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share