riposte 1 of 2

as in retort
a quick witty response he's known for having a brilliant riposte to nearly any insult

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riposte

2 of 2

verb

as in to respond
to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction at cocktail parties she could riposte with lightning speed to even the most unexpected quip

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of riposte
Noun
Hammarby equalised at the start of the second half but within four minutes, Shaw delivered the perfect riposte by side-stepping a defender and thrashing home an unstoppable shot which proved to be the winning goal. Asif Burhan, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 What could have been a humbling riposte to online over-exuberance instead became the kind of star-making day that Tammy Abraham enjoyed at this ground five years ago. Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024 Trump’s willingness to take risks, his boldness in appearing in places and situations where the old Republican Party feared to tread, his knack for the memorable photo and cutting riposte have defined his political career and the 2024 campaign. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 2 Nov. 2024 With sharp ripostes and canny traps, Harris baited Trump into boasting about his crowd sizes, grousing about the 2020 election, and standing up for the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power. Brian Bennett, TIME, 11 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for riposte
Recent Examples of Synonyms for riposte
Noun
  • The next day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz began his speech to the conference with a retort to Vance.
    Massimo Calabresi/Dachau, TIME, 22 Feb. 2025
  • Known for his own sense of humor, Obama dismisses Edwards’ retort, pointing out that the shooting guard has multiple players of similar size as Embiid, making his point null and void.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • His remains were discovered in the debris after officers responded to the explosion around 4:52 p.m. Feb. 15 in the 2200 block of Central Avenue, police said.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Many of the owners who responded said the increases were forcing them to consider relocating.
    Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • My films reply to each other and to repair each other.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
  • According to the employee, Stefanski replied that the investigators had questioned him about the Jeep.
    Dave Altimari, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Fashion Nova, which did not respond to a request for comment, will have the chance to answer the complaint and rebut the accusations.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The reaction to Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s official Democratic response to President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress this week provides some helpful insight into the major question her party has to answer these days: Is the Blue Team able to accommodate its new coalition?
    Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Riposte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riposte. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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