riposte

/ɹɪˈpəʊst/US/ɹɪˈpoʊst/

riposte noun: a thrust given in return after parrying an attack.

Noun

riposte (plural ripostes)

A thrust given in return after parrying an attack.
(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
(figuratively) A quick and usually witty response to a taunt.
- 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...1961 March, “Talking of trains”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 129–130
- 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
Synonyms:

retort
An answer or reply, rapidly uttered, in response to a question or problem.

riposte (third-person singular simple present ripostes, present participle riposting, simple past and past participle riposted)

To attempt to hit an opponent after parrying an attack.
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

تیز جواب

counter, retort, rejoinder: കടുത്ത മറുപടി, തർക്കുത്തരം, എറുകുറി, ഏറുതല, തറുതല, തറുകുറുമ്പ്
rejoin, retort, counter: പെട്ടെന്നുത്തരം പറയുക, തർക്കുത്തരം പറയുക, പ്രതിഭാഷിക്കുക, ഉത്തരം പറയുക, പകരം പറയുക, മറുപടി പറയുക

ಮಾರುತ್ತರ, ಎದುರುಮಾತು, ಎದುರುನುಡಿ, ಎದುರ್ನುಡಿ, ಪ್ರತಿಹೊಡೆತ, ಪ್ರತಿಪ್ರಹಾರ

Noun
plural	ripostes
alternative form	ripost
Verb
third-person singular present	ripostes
present participle	riposting
past participle	riposted
past	riposted

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

What does riposte mean?: Riposte means a thrust given in return after parrying an attack.
What is riposte in Urdu?: Riposte in Urdu is تیز جواب. See Riposte meaning in Urdu.
What part of speech is riposte?: Riposte can be a noun or a verb.
How do you pronounce riposte?: Riposte is pronounced /ɹɪˈpəʊst/ (UK).
What is the plural of riposte?: The plural of riposte is ripostes.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-riposte.wav.

Cite this entry: “riposte.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/riposte. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.