wry

1 of 2

verb

wried; wrying
Synonyms of wry

transitive verb

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

wry

2 of 2

adjective

wryer ˈrī(-ə)r How to pronounce wry (audio) ; wryest ˈrī-əst How to pronounce wry (audio)
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
4
: cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous
a wry wit
wryly adverb
wryness noun

Examples 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
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Adjective
Co-created by Seinfeld and Larry David, the sitcom was a massive hit in the ’90s thanks to its wry dissection of social norms, and the talents of costars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards. Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026 Chocolate brings it home with a punch line—a wry observation to end the story with a laugh. Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026 Wright is a highly engaging writer with a wry wit, and The God Test is a pleasure to read. Air Mail, 13 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for wry

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wry was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

wry

adjective
ˈrī
wryer
ˈrī(-ə)r
; wryest
ˈrī-əst
1
: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side
a wry nose
2
a
: expressing irony
a wry smile
b
: cleverly humorous
a wry remark
wryly adverb
wryness noun

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