wried; wrying
: to pull out of or as if out of proper shape : make awry
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
4
: cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous
a wry wit
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
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Though the subject matter is heavy, the movie is leavened by Rushdie’s wry sense of humor.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
About Town Hip-Hop Since the implosion of his wry alt-rap group Das Racist, which stood as a testament to the blog-era internet’s megaphonic power, the Queens rapper Himanshu Suri, or Heems, has carved out a more serious career offline.
—Jillian Steinhauer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
As with this trilogy’s previous installment, Depardon here depicts the hardships ofthe modern farmer with empathy but also a wry knowingness regarding the changing of the times.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
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Adjective
The team posted on social media a short clip of McDaniel sitting at a table and introducing himself as the offensive coordinator of the Chargers followed by a wry smile emoji.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Though the subject matter is heavy, the movie is leavened by Rushdie’s wry sense of humor.
—Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
About Town Hip-Hop Since the implosion of his wry alt-rap group Das Racist, which stood as a testament to the blog-era internet’s megaphonic power, the Queens rapper Himanshu Suri, or Heems, has carved out a more serious career offline.
—Jillian Steinhauer, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
As with this trilogy’s previous installment, Depardon here depicts the hardships ofthe modern farmer with empathy but also a wry knowingness regarding the changing of the times.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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