wry

play

verb \ ˈrī \

Definition of wry

wried; wrying

intransitive verb

:twist, writhe

transitive verb

:to pull out of or as if out of proper shape :make awry

Origin and Etymology of wry

Middle English wrien, from Old English wrigian to turn; akin to Middle High German rigel kerchief wound around the head, Greek rhiknos shriveled, Avestan urvisyeiti he turns

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

wry

adjective

Definition of wry

wryer play \ˈrī(-ə)r\; wryest play \ˈrī-əst\

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

3 :wrongheaded 1

4 :cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous

a wry wit

—

wryly

play \ˈrī-lē\ adverb

—

wryness

noun

See wry defined for English-language learners

See wry defined for kids

Examples of wry in a Sentence

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 of wry from the Web

Toksvig, an Anglo-Danish actor and comedian, felt obviously drafted into the Perkins role, doling out smutty innuendo and wry asides as the contestants fashioned fruity sponges and mini fingers and showstopping cake illusions.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Great British Bake Off Keeps the Dream Alive," 30 Aug. 2017
Smart performer-writers like Tif Harrison, Kyra Sims and Bilal Dardai, typically wry and wise here, remind us just how much food impacts our lives, both the comforts and the conflicts therein.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "Food is memory in 'The Food Show,' so the Neos should let us share," 7 Aug. 2017
Zanies (1548 N. Wells) hosts Kennedy and his kooky political discourse, elevated by his wry, deadpan delivery.

— emily wasielewski, Chicago Reader, "Arts / Do This Tour de Fat, Wicker Park Fest, and more of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend," 28 July 2017
The wry, literate and charming Glaswegian indie-pop band led by Stuart Murdoch return to Fairmount Park, with former Squirrel Nut Zipper Bird, a singer, violinist and expert whistler who’s pretty charming himself.

— dan deluca, Philly.com, "Dan DeLuca's Mix Picks: Queen + Adam Lambert, Rozwell Kid and Belle & Sebastian, plus 'Equipment For Living'," 27 July 2017
For seven seasons, Ellis gave the show a magical spark, creating in Lafayette a smart, wry, endlessly watchable character who became True Blood’s glue.

— vanityfair.com, "Why Nelsan Ellis Made True Blood Worth Watching," 10 July 2017
For seven seasons, Ellis gave the show a magical spark, creating in Lafayette a smart, wry, endlessly watchable character who became True Blood’s glue.

— yohana desta, HWD, "Why Nelsan Ellis Made True Blood Worth Watching," 10 July 2017
Ronson, author of The Men Who Stare at Goats and So You've Been Publicly Shamed, is famous for his snarky, wry commentary on how power warps people's identities.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "New Netflix film Okja is sci-fi satire so sharp it will cut you," 9 July 2017
Denning is too busy clowning to channel the combination of wry self-knowledge and insecurity in Benedick.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Optimist Theatre's free 'Much Ado About Nothing' leans hard on gags," 8 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.