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
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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
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
-
Expect conversations that catch you off-guard, and jokes that turn into shocking revelations.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The Special Olympics are not amused after Kid Rock used an ableist slur while making a joke in a recent Fox News interview.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Prince Philip’s quick wit and no-nonsense humor were legendary, both inside and outside palace walls.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Even more preoccupied with toilet humor than its predecessor, Scary Movie 2 hauled in substantially less at the box office.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The movie has a brief mocking glimpse of MTV, just for a cheap laugh, when Springsteen is flipping channels between Badlands reruns.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
2 Nov. 2025
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Come to see Stone get her head shaved, stay for big laughs, darkly incisive commentary, and incredible performances from Stone, Plemons, and newcomer Aidan Delbis in this absurdist black comedy.—
EW Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Self was in a joking mood when asked about the squad’s stellar defensive play.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Jones eventually got into his joking bag, and Bleek took that opportunity to seriously set the record straight one last time.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s irony in that, of course.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The irony is that in a market saturated with sustainability talk, Magnolia Pearl’s revolt feels almost old-fashioned.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Perhaps the only thing Gore Vidal enjoyed more than dispensing witticisms—or sipping a Macallan single malt—was being photographed.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
27 Sep. 2025
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Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism: Go f--- yourself.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Netflix’s true-crime documentaries have a recognizable sheen to them—the streamer even released a comedy series mocking its take on the genre.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
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But other than the dark comedy of Notre Dame’s kicking game, nothing about it felt like a harbinger of doom.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drollery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drollery. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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