drollery

noun

ˈdrōl-rē How to pronounce drollery (audio)
Definition of drollerynext
1
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter the film's sophisticated drolleries will elicit smiles and chuckles even upon repeated viewings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in humor
the amusing quality or element in something though generally serious, the novel about a seriously dysfunctional family is not without drollery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drollery In both films, Jarmusch strips away the ironic detachment and deadpan drollery that were part of his signature in the earlier movies that earned him a prominent spot on the American indie map. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025 He is played by Ethan Hawke, a mainstay of Linklater’s movies, in a remarkable amalgam of bitterness, exuberance, drollery, tenderness, frustration, and tremendous artistic passion. — Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025 Matthew Rankin’s latest surreal comedy, between hilarious drollery and bitter disillusionment. — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 18 Dec. 2024 But his method is mostly charging into the fray, shouting battle cries or tossing out Australian drollery. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drollery
  1. joke
  2. humor
  3. laugh
  4. irony
  5. joking
  6. comedy
  7. witticism
Noun
  • That’s one of the wobbliest of the timeline-hopping jokes in the show.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Painfully aware of this, Shawn waited for one of the drunk old men to comment, heckle, make one of those incomprehensible jokes that drew rude laughter from adults.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of joke
Noun
  • Comedy can be harder to export, Barrois notes, given its reliance on local humor.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The end result is a sharp, unapologetic art-house novel full of gravitas, humor and heartbreaking revelations about the Black American experience and the thousand and one ways our nation can shatter Black souls.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of humor
Noun
  • The show is hosted by Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, who never fail to bring the laughs as the home bakers succeed, or seize, under pressure.
    — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Eisenberg’s film garnered considerable laughs — and applause — from the theater-going crowd at its starry NYFF screening that saw Eisenberg, the cast, producer Emma Stone and even Claire Danes in attendance.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of laugh
Noun
  • But the irony is younger donors are, by several of the study’s measures, more engaged donors than older generations.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There’s an irony in this prominent liberal writer’s lack of interest in actual politics — in any kind of collective solidarity that might extend beyond the county line.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of irony
Noun
  • Russell was mentioned in that speech, but in a joking way, playing off of how frequent Oscars director Glenn Weiss, who won for his role helming the 2018 Academy Awards telecast, had used his speech to propose to his then-girlfriend.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Arch Manning's joking comments at a news conference about a fake video of coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe erupted in controversy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of joking
Noun
  • This week’s episode is hosted by Shane Gillis, marking his third time hosting the NBC sketch comedy series since being fired as a cast member in 2019 over resurfaced racist and homophobic remarks.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Ackie didn’t only discuss horror, but also comedy during her appearance, including I Love Boosters.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of comedy
Noun
  • The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • This charming witticism might double as a tagline for the season writ large.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Definition of witticism

Browse Nearby Words

drolleries
drollery
drollness
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Cite this Entry

“Drollery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drollery. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drollery

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drollery

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