Jazz. a melodic phrase, often constantly repeated, forming an accompaniment or part of an accompaniment for a soloist.
a new variation on or a different manifestation of an existing thing or idea (often followed byon ).
This is an eco-conscious riff on the study-abroad experience.
Jazz. to perform a repeated melodic phrase, forming an accompaniment for a soloist.
to experiment with a thing or idea, making changes that create a new and novel version of it (often followed byon ).
My partner likes to let his ideas quietly simmer, but I prefer to riff on mine in conversations where I can bounce my thoughts off other people.
to create, write, or perform something, like a comedy routine, using a common or known point of departure and following a previously unexplored tangent from that known point to a fresh or humorous perspective (often followed by on oroff ).
My act riffs off famous love stories and adds modern feminist elements to unmask the absurdity of “happily ever after” in fairy tales.
(intr) to play or perform riffs in jazz or rock music
informal to speak amusingly or make (amusing comments or remarks)
First recorded in 1930–35; perhaps alteration and shortening of refrain 2
A riff is a short section of music, especially in jazz. When you're first learning to play the saxophone, you may just play the same riff over and over. When one jazz musician in a band is improvising, the others are typically playing riffs in the background. Sometimes a riff introduces the start of a song or its chorus. To play this section is also to riff, and you can also talk about improvised speech using riff: "The stand-up comic decided to riff on the subject of his mom, since it was the only joke that was getting any laughs."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A Ramp Gibson, a riff on the martini, came with a pickled ramp garnish instead of a pickled onion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
With a riff reminiscent of the Hives' Hate To Say I Told You So, it's a big, dumb singalong with charisma to burn.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
To riff off the book’s famous maxim: Some cartoons are decidedly less equal than others.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
A maximalist, grown-up riff on seven-layer dip: smoky chorizo, creamy beans, sweet corn and tangy crema stacked into something closer to a full meal than a snack.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
“Zach, do you like pears? Would you eat a pear?” he asks, just a beat after his opening riff.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
