Definition of sardonic
: disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking
- a sardonic comment
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Examples of sardonic in a Sentence
- "The Great War," used interchangeably with "the First World War" (so named in 1918 by a sardonic English journalist, who knew it would not be the last such conflict) … —Benjamin Schwarz, Atlantic, May 1999
- They have that brand of sardonic humor special to people up against it: black and wry and shocking … —Doris Lessing, New Yorker, 16 Mar. 1987
- In a story by Flaubert, this spreading of cloths to save the carpet would be observed with a sardonic eye; in Lawrence it is bleakly practical. —Hugh Kenner, A Sinking Island, 1987
The movie is a sardonic look at modern life.
a sardonic little jab that made her visitor quiet and subdued for the rest of the night
Recent Examples of sardonic from the Web
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Where Desi Lee was a list-making overachiever, Clara Shin is a sardonic slacker for whom effort is the ultimate sin.
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Killing Eve’s show-runner and the creator and star of Fleabag, won everyone over as the sardonic, outspoken, and emotionally compelling newcomer droid L3-37.
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Pascal claims to be descended from Norman noblemen, though nobility isn’t the first thing called to mind by this sardonic handyman with rough hands and bedroom eyes.
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The sardonic feminist brilliantly blends burlesque with rap and wicked social commentary.
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Keeping with the relatable vibe of Sanrio’s last sensation, 2013’s Gudetama, a lazy and sardonic egg whose webisodes went viral, Aggretsuko hits close to home.
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The sardonic private detective played by Krysten Ritter was following a lead to a makeshift veterinary clinic and ended up in a verbal tiff with a snotty Goth staffer.
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Steve Buscemi provides sardonic relief as Del, Pete’s sleazy owner and an unlikely stand-in for Charley’s father.
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Midge makes a new friend at the club, a booker named Susie—butch, sardonic, ambitious—played by Alex Borstein, who gets many of the show’s best lines and deserves them.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sardonic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
sardonic Synonyms
Synonyms
acerbic, acid, acidic, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, pungent, sarcastic, satiric (or satirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, tart;
Near Antonyms
amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish;
diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane;
Related Words
brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky (also spikey), tartish;
incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant;
cynical, dry, ironic (also ironical), wry;
facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek;
acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic;
harsh, rough, severe, stringent;
abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), concise, crisp, curt, gruff, pithy, snippety, snippy, succinct, terse;
Synonym Discussion of sardonic
sarcastic, satiric, ironic, sardonic mean marked by bitterness and a power or will to cut or sting. sarcastic implies an intentional inflicting of pain by deriding, taunting, or ridiculing.
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- a critic known for his sarcastic remarks
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- a satiric look at contemporary society
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- made the ironic observation that the government could always be trusted
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- surveyed the scene with a sardonic smile
SARDONIC Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of sardonic for English Language Learners
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: showing that you disapprove of or do not like someone or something : showing disrespect or scorn for someone or something
Learn More about sardonic
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See words that rhyme with sardonic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sardonic Spanish Central: Translation of sardonic Nglish: Translation of sardonic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sardonic for Arabic speakers
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