retort
Quick, cutting reply
A retort is a quick, sharp reply, especially one that turns an accusation or criticism back on the speaker: When she called him lazy, his retort was that she'd never worked a day in her life.
The verb means to reply in this manner.
Separately, a retort is a glass vessel with a long downward-pointing neck, used in distillation.
Reply to a reply
- riposteSwift clever reply
- comebackRecovery after decline
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
- counterFlat service surface
response · repartee · clapback · answer · return · counterattack · sally · backtalk
Portable liquid container
- glasswareDrinking containers of silica
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- beakerLaboratory measuring container
- laboratoryFacility for scientific investigation
borosilicate · alembic · neck · bulb · stopper · heat-resistant · distillation · reflux
Playful, teasing exchange
- quipBrief, clever remark
- wisecrackFlippant clever remark
- jestHumorous remark or act
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
repartee · clever · pun · joke · droll · facetious · jocular · amusing
Sharp and biting
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- scathingSeverely and bitingly critical
stinging · tart · sardonic · mordant · incisive · pointed · harsh · acidic
Distillation apparatus
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
- vaporizationConversion to gas
reflux · boiling · fractionation · separation · extraction · distillate · still · rectification
rejoinder
Reply to a reply
counter · response · repartee · clapback · answer · return · counterattack · sally · backtalk · countercharge
flask
Portable liquid container
- glasswareDrinking containers of silica
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- beakerLaboratory measuring container
laboratory · borosilicate · alembic · neck · bulb · stopper · heat-resistant · distillation · reflux · graduated
banter
Playful, teasing exchange
wordplay · repartee · clever · pun · joke · droll · facetious · jocular · amusing · badinage
acerbic
Sharp and biting
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
scathing · stinging · tart · sardonic · mordant · incisive · pointed · harsh · acidic · sarcastic
alembic
Distillation apparatus
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
vaporization · reflux · boiling · fractionation · separation · extraction · distillate · still · rectification · concentration
- dialogueconversation, line, lines, banter, talk
- glasswareglass cups, bottles, glassware, glass vases, jar
- jokesjokes, joke, puns, one-liners, pun
- remarksremark, comment, statement, observation, note
- responsesresponse, answering, answer, reply, replying
- tauntstaunts, taunt, taunting, neener neener, insults
retortquestion
Request for information
query · ask · inquiry · interrogate · challenge
retortsympathize
Share another's feelings
sympathy · empathize · compassion · understanding · commiserate