retorts
Sharp verbal parries
Retorts are sharp, witty replies that turn someone's words back on them.
The word suggests cleverness and quickness—a retort isn't just a response but a comeback with bite: Her retorts left him speechless.
In chemistry, a retort is a glass vessel with a long neck, used for distillation—an unrelated word that settled on the same spelling.
Reply to a reply
- riposteSwift clever reply
- comebackRecovery after decline
- reparteeQuick, clever conversation
- quipBrief, clever remark
clapback · wisecrack · sally · one-liner · zinger · bon mot · banter · barb
Distillation apparatus
- flaskPortable liquid container
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- borosilicateHeat-tolerant glass compound
- laboratory glasswareTransparent vessels for experiments
still · reflux · neck · stopper · distillate · receiver · vapor
Dividing via sharp edge
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- scathingSeverely and bitingly critical
- acerbicSharp and biting
sarcastic · sardonic · snarky · vitriolic · mordant · trenchant · barbed · stinging
Formal response disputing claims
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- counterFlat service surface
- responseAnswer to stimulus
- replyVerbal or written answer
answer · refutation · objection · contradiction · challenge · denial · dispute · contention
rejoinder
Reply to a reply
quip · clapback · wisecrack · sally · one-liner · zinger · bon mot · banter · barb · jab
alembic
Distillation apparatus
- flaskPortable liquid container
- condenserDevice that liquefies gases
- borosilicateHeat-tolerant glass compound
laboratory glassware · still · reflux · neck · stopper · distillate · receiver · vapor
cutting
Dividing via sharp edge
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- scathingSeverely and bitingly critical
acerbic · sarcastic · sardonic · snarky · vitriolic · mordant · trenchant · barbed · stinging · piercing
rebuttal
Formal response disputing claims
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- counterFlat service surface
- responseAnswer to stimulus
reply · answer · refutation · objection · contradiction · challenge · denial · dispute · contention · defense
- jokesjokes, joke, puns, one-liners, pun
- utterancesutterance, statements, exclamation, assertion, questions
- witticismsquips, witticisms, witticism, bon mots, bon mot
- banterbanter, teasing, ribbing, joshing, kidding
- refractoriesrefractories, firebrick, fire brick, fire bricks, fire clay
- comedycomedy, jokes, humor, puns, sarcasm
retortsconcedes
Admits or yields
agrees · acquiesces · capitulates · mumbles · assents
retortscapitulates
Yields to demands
yields · submits · backs down · apologizes · conciliates