wried; wrying
: to pull out of or as if out of proper shape : make awry
1
: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side
a wry nose
2
: made by a deliberate distortion of the facial muscles often to express irony or mockery
a wry smile
4
: cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous
a wry wit
wryness
noun
wry·ness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being wry
big in the way it treats human beings with a wryness born of compassion—
Eric Goldman
Eric GoldmanExamples of wry in a Sentence
Adjective
His books are noted for their wry humor.
When I asked her how she felt after winning the race, she gave me a wry smile and said, “Pretty tired.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
Meanwhile, the boy protagonist—both innocent and wry, and more mature than either parent—shuttles between the two, trying to keep them from falling apart entirely.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
The cockroach has become a wry badge of endurance and political articulation.
—ABC News, 5 June 2026
Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
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Adjective
As his practice evolved, Michals would continue to question the cycles of life and time, creating sequences that often have a wry sense of humor and surrealist bent to them.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026
Meanwhile, the boy protagonist—both innocent and wry, and more mature than either parent—shuttles between the two, trying to keep them from falling apart entirely.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
The cockroach has become a wry badge of endurance and political articulation.
—ABC News, 5 June 2026
Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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