Definitions Related words Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!)

Literary notes about Repartee (AI summary)

Literature frequently employs "repartee" to denote a brisk, witty exchange that illuminates a character’s cleverness and social finesse. It can be used to capture the lighthearted spark of conversation as characters banter playfully [1] or to underscore moments when a slight misstep is deftly countered by a self-aware retort [2]. In some works, repartee elevates dialogues to arenas of verbal duels and intellectual sparring, as when a well-timed response in a high-stakes setting becomes emblematic of a character's commanding presence [3]. Meanwhile, its presence in social gatherings underscores both the humor and the sophistication of the interaction, adding layers of subtle critique and charm to the narrative [4] [5].
  1. The two girls spread the refreshing viands on the grass, and with merry repartee answered the jokes of the hungry reapers.
    — from GarthowenA Story of a Welsh Homestead by Allen Raine
  2. “Mr. Rochester, allow me to disown my first answer: I intended no pointed repartee: it was only a blunder.”
    — from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë
  3. His reply to Sir Francis Burdett was pronounced by Mr. Gladstone to be the best repartee ever made in Parliament.
    — from Collections and Recollections by George William Erskine Russell
  4. Mr. Haviland and Mrs. Pope had found each other and were indulging in mirthful repartee in the back drawing-room.
    — from Adrienne Toner: A Novel by Anne Douglas Sedgwick
  5. [after a moment of stupefaction at the old man's readiness in repartee]
    — from Man and Superman: A Comedy and a Philosophy by Bernard Shaw

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux