1
: a fencer's quick return thrust following a parry
2
: a retaliatory verbal sally : retort
3
: a retaliatory maneuver or measure
riposte
verb
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In the sport of fencing, a riposte is a counterattack made after successfully fending off one's opponent. English speakers borrowed the name for this particular maneuver from French in the early 1700s, but the French had simply modified the Italian word risposta, which literally means "answer." Ultimately these words come from the Latin verb respondēre, meaning "to respond." It seems fitting that riposte has since come full circle to now refer to a quick and witty response performed as a form of retaliation.
Examples of riposte in a Sentence
he's known for having a brilliant riposte to nearly any insult
Recent Examples on the Web
The obvious riposte at this point is that the NFL has been doing it for years.
—
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Eventually, Letterman acknowledged the riposte was not his best work.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
Losing in three sets was a riposte to those who feared the match wouldn’t be competitive.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
All such theories, however, have appeared to be unreliable and speculative since any first strikes would have to contend with the risk of an enemy launch on warning as well as sufficient systems surviving for a devastating riposte.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
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Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Eventually, Letterman acknowledged the riposte was not his best work.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Sep. 2025
Losing in three sets was a riposte to those who feared the match wouldn’t be competitive.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
All such theories, however, have appeared to be unreliable and speculative since any first strikes would have to contend with the risk of an enemy launch on warning as well as sufficient systems surviving for a devastating riposte.
—Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for riposte
Cite this Entry
“Riposte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/riposte. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
riposte
noun
ri·poste
ri-ˈpōst 
1
: a fencer's quick return thrust
2
: a quick reply or action in return
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