DROLLERY Synonyms: 107 Similar and Opposite Words

drollery

noun

ˈdrōl-rē

Definition of drollery

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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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

Noun

The chain, which has over 200 locations in the United States, was recently caught in a culture war against its will, sparked by a joke from former President Barack Obama on its aesthetic.

— Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
Later on during Weekend Update, Michael Che made a joke about Israel that made Jost jokingly grimace.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of joke

Noun

Now, Gomez finds humor in the video and even some pride in how unapologetically endearing her teenage self was.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026
Their performances — at London’s West End in 2009 and on New York’s Broadway in 2013-14 — were praised for their humor and comedy.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of humor

Noun

And although Lichtenstein wasn’t gay, there’s enough irony about gender in his early work to qualify him as being interestingly gay-adjacent.

— Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
For Nella, the hike turns an ad celebrating her daughter’s care into a painful irony — calling the shift offensive in an interview with The Sacramento Bee.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of irony

Noun

As the audience applauded, Stewart launched into his joking eulogy.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of joking

Noun

The lovely, economic scenic design by Angela Balogh Calin graciously makes room for the play’s wall-to-wall witticisms, but the house is meant to symbolize the ship of state drifting dangerously toward the rocks.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
When the humor shifted abruptly from shrieking and pratfalls to more subtle witticism, the audience was fine with that as long as things stayed light, funny and uncomplicated.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of witticism

Browse Nearby Words

drolleries

drollery

drollness

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Style

“Drollery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drollery. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of drollery

noun

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