comedy of manners

noun phrase

: comedy that satirically portrays the manners and fashions of a particular class or set

Examples of comedy of manners in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Two-time Tony winner Baranski will make her West End debut as Judith Bliss with Oscar nominee Grant as David Bliss in the comedy of manners, which centers on four eccentric members of the Bliss family who each invite a guest to spend the weekend at their country house. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026 This book’s a social comedy of manners, but its emphasis on the academy’s contradictions should appeal to Idiot lovers. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026 The film sees Wilde herself starring alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz in a comedy of manners that never lets up (and never lets that energy get in the way of some great performances). Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2026 With its hard shadows and rudimentary staging, the film plays like a crude rough draft of the much richer career that followed, rounding up his troupe at the time for a semi-sophisticated comedy of manners. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 Although someone does get stabbed through the hand before dessert, so maybe not just like a comedy of manners. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comedy of manners was in 1822

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Cite this Entry

“Comedy of manners.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comedy%20of%20manners. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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