as in interpretations
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 riffs
Black Midi were known for their wild live shows, improvisational but generally aggressive riffs and devil-may-care attitude.
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Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026
Tuck into contemporary riffs on traditional pasta dishes (the seafood options are divine and all spanking fresh), or plates hailing from Northern Italy such as Milanese and risotto, courtesy of Norma’s Milanese roots.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
In place of steady strumming, Weir played arpeggios, single notes, little riffs, and odd, jazzy chords.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
Rather than playing consistent, repetitive chords to build a groove, his approach was based around counterpoint and riffs, filling the musical gaps between the band’s drummers and Phil Lesh’s similarly unconventional bass playing.
—Alan Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
This blend of styles is not only about presenting contrasts—clean versus shouted vocals, melodic versus dissonant riffs, headbanging versus moshing—but also preserving the murky in-between that only elevates the extreme.
—Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
One of the most common riffs Simmons swears by at home or on the road?
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2026
This inevitable sequel riffs on the titular Wii game, blasting Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad into outer space to face off against Bowser Jr.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 Dec. 2025
As Walsh digs into the song’s riffs, video of apartment buildings gradually stretch to the apex of the Sphere and create the sensation of movement.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 20 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riffs
Noun
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The best of the bunch run the gamut from crowd-pleasing interpretations of tonka bean and leather to on-the-nose odes to a crackling fireplace.—
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More likely are the frequent incidents where moving objects are subject to multiple interpretations.—
Noun
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To kick off 2026, both stars took to the streets (of New York City and Aspen, respectively) wearing variations of cozy Ugg boots.—
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Daydream Plus for the next quarter-century, or if Neil Young hung up his guitar and kept putting out variations on Trans.—
Noun
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Take a trip down memory lane with Vanity Fair’s list of the best Golden Globes looks of all time and relive the night with our blog for fresh takes, up-to-the-minute commentary, and everything in between.—
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To get to the bottom of this, six designers shared their takes and the results were surprisingly split.—
Noun
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There are also junior versions of the shows with youth competitions.—
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Layered in butter, cream, garlic, Parmesan and green spinach that some versions of its origin story say represents the man’s vast fortune, it was first conceived in New Orleans’ Antoine’s Restaurant in 1899, where a shortage of escargot necessitated some creative moves from chef Jules Alciatore.—
Cite this Entry
“Riffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riffs. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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