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
  • As responses go, this was as resounding as Muhammad Ali’s rope-a-dope retort during The Rumble in the Jungle against George Foreman.
    Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
  • Sweeney’s cast — there are excellent turns from Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale, Speak No Evil) and Abbott Elementary’s Chris Perfetti — deploy their witty retorts, bleak sentiments and existential worries at a bracing and confident clip.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • If the government either denies the claims or does not respond, Clifford said the family can file lawsuits in federal court.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The reduction of staff could impact the organization's speed and ability to respond to crises—like tackling environmental health risks or implementing regulations.
    Simmone Shah, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The entrepreneur, who was in attendance at the Super Bowl in New Orleans, replied to a tweet from the New York Post about Smith’s comments.
    Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Asked on This Week with George Stephanopoulos about John Fetterman’s advice that Democrats calm down a little rather than elevate every Trump controversy to a matter of existential urgency, the Connecticut senator replied with a flurry of apocalyptic rhetoric about Elon Musk and all his works.
    Rich Lowry, National Review, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The White House did not answer questions from ProPublica about DOGE’s plans for AST.
    Heather Vogell, ProPublica, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Every time there’s impactful news, CFOs need to answer: What would this mean to our cash and liquidity in the future?
    Megan Poinski, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Riposte.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/riposte. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

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