riff
noun
a melodic phrase, often constantly repeated, forming an accompaniment or part of an accompaniment for a soloist.
were riffing
-
past progressiveof riff.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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 Critics Choice writers were likely behind the joke and possibly were riffing off DeBose’s divisive performance last year at the BAFTAs, which drew online mockery that ultimately drove the actor off X, formerly Twitter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2024
It never dawned on me that they were riffing on anything.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2022
These bits were riffing on HBO’s ironclad battle against spoilers for its most popular enterprise.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 9, 2019
This work was made by the artists Eva and Franco Mattes, who were riffing on the famous “ceiling cat” image first posted online in 2006.
From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2019
Like all good caricatures, these interviews capture something of the truth, even if with exaggeration, and, as in all good interviews, the subjects speak freely, as if they were riffing unguardedly among friends.
From The New Yorker ● May 14, 2015
