riff
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.
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While Warren and the bill’s co-sponsors shouldn’t lean too hard on an extemporaneous riff from a podcaster, the germ of a promising strategy is there.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
The chorus is the key here, as its smooth riff pauses for Casablancas to softy wail out “We could never afford it / So we dine and dash / I would always go last.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
His one pop hit, “Loser,” was built upon a slide-guitar riff and a breakbeat; verses were rapped; and the chorus, a mix of English and Spanish, was a singalong rock anthem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
He plays us Soulmate, a funny and affectionate tribute to Amy, powered by a peacocking guitar riff.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Then Elijah started playing a great riff on his bass, which turned out to be the opening of “Seven Nation Army.”
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
The badass riffs in this particular case are courtesy of Roman Morello, the 15-year-old son of our interviewee, who joined his dad’s band when he was 13.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
A powerhouse version of Dangerous Woman claps like thunder; and Grande's vocal riffs on Safety Net are so tremendously colossal they should be registered as the eighth wonder of the world.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The trio has reunited for “So Unanchored,” a weekly podcast fueled by spontaneous riffs on their years together, pop culture and their deep friendship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Led by Busby’s machine-gun mandolin riffs and hair-raising tenor, the band had a hard-edged bluegrass-style sound that was a far cry from the homogenized, syrupy country-and-western slop heard around town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
I recognized the opening riffs of “Change,” by John Waite.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
President Donald Trump riffed on his White House predecessors in a children's podcast Friday, while also joking about his weight and musing as to whether his body is swimsuit-ready.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
“The Comeback” premiered in 2005, just a year after the end of “Friends”; the first season addressed the rise of reality TV, and the next season, in 2014, riffed on dark, streaming “prestige” television.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2026
Bono has, for decades, riffed on this concept: “America isn’t just a country, it’s an idea.”
From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2026
On TikTok, people have riffed on and parodied the playful lyrics endlessly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025
Magic Jay, Jimmy L’s secret agent name, was riffed from his favorite basketball player, the legendary Magic Johnson.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
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
The movie is seeded with nods to Green Day lore, scripted over long sessions riffing with the band over its tour catastrophes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The director said: "As Ryan started talking about his vision for this character, we started riffing, and I finally said, 'bro, let's ride', so guys, we'll see you in 2028."
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
We stepped easy, riffing with Styx about our new plan.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
