1
2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wit are humor, irony, repartee, sarcasm, and satire. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

When would humor be a good substitute for wit?

The words humor and wit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

When could irony be used to replace wit?

The meanings of irony and wit largely overlap; however, irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

In what contexts can repartee take the place of wit?

In some situations, the words repartee and wit are roughly equivalent. However, repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

Where would sarcasm be a reasonable alternative to wit?

The synonyms sarcasm and wit are sometimes interchangeable, but sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When can satire be used instead of wit?

The words satire and wit can be used in similar contexts, but satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

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 wit Forced to enroll at Nevermore Academy — her parents' alma mater for misfit monsters — Wednesday finds herself in the middle of a decades-long mystery, using her wit and psychic abilities to solve the boarding school's deepest, darkest secrets. Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025 The Oscar-winning filmmaker makes the viewer as torn and confused and at wit’s end as the people trying to avoid doomsday. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025 Much of the dialogue — like in the novels — is spat out, with venom, with aggression, with wit, even with humor, propelling each episode to its cliff-hanging conclusion. Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025 That’s not the worst idea, and at times Constantine looks terrific, but the movie doesn’t have enough wit or charm to play with Reeves’s persona the way the Wachowskis did. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wit
Noun
  • The comedian, who performed on the sketch show from 2008 until 2017, offered his two cents on the recent cast shakeup during an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The experience of working alongside his parents helped shape Ben as an actor and comedian.
    Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Reverence for the past, and reluctance to destroy until the risks of destruction are fully known, is not timidity but wisdom, in architecture as in life.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025
  • My daughter, in all her wisdom and childhood intuition, figured this out right away.
    Christa Carmen, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Of the respondents, 30% said having a conversation about family health history had never crossed their minds and 20% said their families don't talk about health openly.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The future is at the forefront of your mind.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • South Korea’s intelligence agency estimated in September that about 2,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed in the fighting.
    Reuters, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Greta Lee is an intelligence officer pulled from a Gettysburg trip with her kid to deliver some important North Korean intel.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • His droll story about being trapped in an elevator was emblematic: friendly but resolute.
    Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Her droll yet touching quest for motherhood mirrors the messy compromises and silent struggles of human lives.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Additionally, a boom-and-bust cycle in the early 2000s informs some of the company’s prudence on expansion.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Meanwhile, Taiwan’s military should exercise prudence in its rules of engagement and not assume that every close call is intentional.
    JOEL WUTHNOW, Foreign Affairs, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In real life, Springsteen’s insistence on scaling back—with Landau’s support—may have saved his life, or at least his sanity.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Lawler, the best known of the young actors thanks to her breakout work in Station Eleven, brings welcome awkward humor, while Stack, with the series’ most complex character, conveys an uneasy grasp on sanity that the rest of the show isn’t really prepared to deal with.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This is the web version of CEO Daily, a newsletter of must-read global insights from CEOs and industry leaders.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Farmer’s ideas and insights have appeared in multiple venues including Harper’s Bazaar, NPR, The Washington Post, and Teen Vogue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wit. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!