droll

1 of 3

adjective

: having a humorous, whimsical, or odd quality
his dignified presence decorated our droll little quartersGwendolyn Brooks
drollness noun
drolly adverb

droll

2 of 3

noun

: an amusing person : jester, comedian

droll

3 of 3

verb

drolled; drolling; drolls

intransitive verb

archaic
: to make fun : jest, sport
drolling a little upon the corporalLaurence Sterne

Examples of droll in a Sentence

Adjective a droll little man with a peculiar sense of humor a book of droll stories Noun the drolls of late-night TV had a field day with that senator's sexual shenanigans
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Rather, the art is droll or uncanny or extraordinary, still coherent, but enigmatic. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 5 Sep. 2024 As recounted in droll, sardonic voice-over by envious B-teamer Lisa (Marla Sokoloff, who serves the Keyser Soze narration role with verve and bitchiness), their leader — the sweet, slightly dim Diane — was kicked out of her home by her parents after getting pregnant. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 9 Aug. 2024
Noun
The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society is the band’s most impressive union of ideas and performances, an ambitious song cycle that’s also charmingly droll and crammed with memorable hooks. Al Shipley, SPIN, 29 Sep. 2024 Even when the occasion is as somber as a funeral — like the send-off for Dogs itself — Brownie’s droll one-liners and stealthy bits of wisdom, delivered via his signature stoner deadpan, pierce the gloom. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024
Verb
Exactly what happens next and why won’t be revealed right away, since Irish writer-director Damian McCarthy deliberately jumbles the timeline of events in his effectively frightening and unexpectedly droll haunted-house horror. Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 16 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for droll 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, and Verb

French drôle, from drôle scamp, from Middle French drolle, from Middle Dutch, imp

First Known Use

Adjective

1623, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1645, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1654, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of droll was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near droll

Cite this Entry

“Droll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/droll. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

droll

adjective
ˈdrōl
: having an odd or amusing quality
drollness noun
drolly
ˈdrō(l)-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on droll

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