as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a mordant review of the movie that compared it to having one's teeth pulled for two hours
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Recent Examples of mordant
His conversation is astringent; his mordant wit softens into easy laughter.
—
Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
That may have been Winter’s intention — there’s also more than a whiff of the Coen brothers figuring into all the mordant mayhem — but the execution proves trickier to pull off for a sustained period.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
Mikkelsen, in one of the most tender performances of his career, and Sloan, whose expressive eyes stay impossibly wide for the duration of the film, craft an easy chemistry together, his mordant humor matching hers like a glove.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Phoebe Greenwood’s novel, Vulture, conjures up this world with mordant humor and breathtaking immediacy.
—Book Marks
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mordant
Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
That may have been Winter’s intention — there’s also more than a whiff of the Coen brothers figuring into all the mordant mayhem — but the execution proves trickier to pull off for a sustained period.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
Mikkelsen, in one of the most tender performances of his career, and Sloan, whose expressive eyes stay impossibly wide for the duration of the film, craft an easy chemistry together, his mordant humor matching hers like a glove.
—Marya E. Gates, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Phoebe Greenwood’s novel, Vulture, conjures up this world with mordant humor and breathtaking immediacy.
—Book Marks
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mordant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mordant
Adjective
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Advertisement How the shooting unfolded The WHCA dinner is an annual event for White House staff and the press, typically featuring comedy and a satirical speech from the president.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
26 Apr. 2026
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Now, the 67-year-old is taking on Broadway in The Balusters, a satirical comedy written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Kenny Leon.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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Peters then offered a sarcastic parting line and left the set.—
Ryan Brennan
April 15,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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If choosing wines, focus on bright, higher-acid white wines that cut through the mouth-coating fattiness of cheese.—
Anna Lee Iijima,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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This summery salad is a lesson in salt, fat, acid, and heat.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In some parts of the world, rivers near cobalt and copper mines have become so acidic that communities can no longer drink water from them.—
Abraham Nunbogu,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Ideally, lavender should be grown in soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline, but never acidic.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Dense rows of Xs in the background suggest barbed wire.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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The barbed fact is that the woman caught in the middle of this unusual male arrangement benefits from none of their newfound emotional enlightenment.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But The Last Five Years’ framework as a caustic duet means that the choice of Cathy can’t be taken lightly.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
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In part, that’s because both actors are delivering impeccable work, balancing their caustic comic chemistry with course, unbridled vulnerability.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mordant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mordant. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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