Dictionary

riposte en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈpoʊst/ (General-American)
• /ɹɪˈpəʊst/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From French riposte, taken from Italian risposta, a derivative of the verb rispondere (“to respond”).

Meanings

1. A thrust given in return after parrying an attack.
2. (broadly) A counter-attack in any combat or any sport.
   • Some context is required. Moldova were weak at the back and blunt up front, and have failed to score in six matches stretching back to last October, with only hints at English complacency offering them glimpses of summoning a riposte. 2012 September 7, Dominic Fifield, “England start World Cup campaign with five-goal romp against Moldova”, in The Guardian:
3. (figuratively) A quick and usually witty response to a taunt.
   • [French president Emmanuel] Macron fired back [at US president Donald Trump] on Thursday with his own tart riposte, telling journalists, “This is not a show. We are talking about war and peace. ... When you want to be serious,” he continued, “you don’t say every day the opposite of what you said the day before.” 2026 April 5, Howard LaFranchi, “Trump’s war in Iran puts new strain on alliances. Why this time it’s different.”, in The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Massachusetts: Christian Science Publishing Society, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • Watson’s letter was a riposte to the accusation made on Tuesday by Corbyn’s campaign that he was “peddling conspiracy theories” after he said in a Guardian interview that Labour was at risk from “Trotskyist entryists”. 2016 August 10, Heather Stewart, “Tom Watson sends Corbyn 'proof of Trotskyist Labour infiltration'”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • This face-saving reminds us of some American ripostes a few months back when their space rockets seemed disinclined to leave the earth very far behind; after all, they said, the Russians are only chucking heavy machinery at the moon, whereas we're trying to be more sophisticated and get a sewing-machine up there. 1961 March, “Talking of trains”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 129–130:
4. An answer or reply, rapidly uttered, in response to a question or problem.

Forms

Deriveds

counterriposte

Synonyms

retort

Translations (18)

fi vastapisto ((fencing)) · hu visszavágás (a quick and usually witty response to a taunt) · yue 還擊 /还击 ((fencing)) · fi riposti ((fencing)) · ru находчивый отве́т (a quick and usually witty response to a taunt) · sv ripost ((fencing)) · el αντιξιφισμός ((fencing)) · hu visszavágás (an answer or reply, rapidly uttered) · pl riposta ((fencing)) · bg ответен удар ((fencing)) · sv ripost (a quick and usually witty response to a taunt) · sv ripost (an answer or reply, rapidly uttered) · fi heitto (a quick and usually witty response to a taunt) · ru ответный уда́р ((fencing)) · de Riposte ((fencing)) · pt resposta ((fencing)) · fi heitto (an answer or reply, rapidly uttered) · bg остроумен отговор (a quick and usually witty response to a taunt)

riposte en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈpoʊst/ (General-American)
• /ɹɪˈpəʊst/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From French riposte, taken from Italian risposta, a derivative of the verb rispondere (“to respond”).

Meanings

1. To attempt to hit an opponent after parrying an attack.
2. To respond quickly; particularly if the response is humorous.
   • I left him and went to a tavern by the quays where the college bucks were drinking and singing hymns. There was Giles who invited old men back to his college apartments for games. Members of the rowing club riposted, for God's sake, man, clean up your life. 1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), page 204:

Forms

Translations (5)

sv ripostera (to respond quickly; particularly if the response is humorous) · pt retorquir (to respond quickly; particularly if the response is humorous) · de zurückschießen (to respond quickly; particularly if the response is humorous) · de zurückgeben (to respond quickly; particularly if the response is humorous) · sv ripostera (fencing: to attempt to hit an opponent after parrying an attack)