Meaning & use
riff
Last updated
A short, repeated phrase of music, typically played by a guitar or other instrument, that forms the basis of a song.
See it in a sentence
The guitarist opened the concert with the band's most iconic riff.
That bassline riff has been sampled in dozens of other songs.
A note on using this word
Also used as a verb meaning to improvise creatively on an idea, joke, or theme, not just in music.
Words with a similar meaning
lickhook
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To improvise or elaborate creatively on an idea, topic, or joke.
The comedians riffed on the awkward silence for several minutes.
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