riff
noun
a melodic phrase, often constantly repeated, forming an accompaniment or part of an accompaniment for a soloist.
riffing
-
present participleof riff.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
-
a word form of
rif.
rifverb (used with object)to discharge (a person) from military or civil service, especially as part of an economy program.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The audience instantly understands that this is Schoenbrun riffing on their own intellectually minded approach, and that Kris is a self-insert character for the movie’s writer-director.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
The bar is decorated with references to China's AI boom, with logos of the country's major labs on the walls and the menu full of jokes riffing on tech jargon.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Elderflower liqueur is also the star in my spritz riffing on the Greyhound cocktail, which combines gin or vodka with grapefruit juice and club soda.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Giving it three stars, she says the overall feeling was that the show "did work", with some "proper jokes for grown-ups" especially in the Weekend Update section riffing on the news.
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026
We stepped easy, riffing with Styx about our new plan.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
