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to riff

to riff

10 6.3
To speak or play music by making it up as you go
  • verb
  • /rɪf/
  • Informal
translation icon : improvisar
  • As the comedian started to riff on everyday life, the audience erupted in laughter.
  • riffed on an idea
  • just riffed
  • started riffing

And I don't know, I'm, I'm just riffing like Miles Davis might.

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Examples

  • Look, we're just kind of riffing here, but maybe you find whoever you've wronged, whatever you're feeling guilty about, and you take responsibility.

  • During the jam session, they would often riff off each other's ideas, creating beautiful music together.

  • But let me, let me just riff for a second.

  • We should just riff on that a little bit.

  • You know, but it was really fun to just riff like that, like you were writing on the spot.

  • Rather, he seems to like to riff off of whatever interesting idea serves his purpose.

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  • And so we we riff off each other and you have a social conscience.

  • I have an idea for an explainer and it's just I just want to riff on plants and animals.

  • Just riff, give us some of that Randy magic.

  • We we were sort of established and really riffed well with each other and it was organic.

Synonyms

to rap
vsto riff
  • Slang
19 7.4

To talk freely for a long time about ordinary things

is more musical and creatively spontaneous than simple informal talk
to noodle
vsto riff
  • Informal
8 6.8

To play music in a relaxed, not serious way

is more purposeful and creatively spontaneous rather than aimless
to freestyle
vsto riff
  • Informal
4 4.1

To perform music, dance, or speech without planning and make it up as you go

is narrower, focusing on creative spontaneity in music or conversation
to improv
vsto riff
  • Informal
3 6.2

To perform without a script, making scenes or music on the spot

is more about creative spontaneous play in music or talk

How Spontaneous

to freestyle
  • Informal
4 4.1
to riff
  • Informal
10 6.3
to improvise
141 4.0
to ad-lib
8 6.8

Surface Forms

riff infinitive
riffed past
riffed past participle
riffing present participle
riffs third person singular

Etymology

Riff used for talking comes from the musical use of the word and a helpful way to remember it is to think of a comedian 'riffing' like a musician playing quick ideas. So riff now means to improvise or play with ideas in music or conversation.