as in humor
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Recent Examples of wordplay
This isn't just semantic wordplay.
—
Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Perhaps more than ever, Hayes is the circus master of his untamable mind, a seemingly endless source of ear-worm melodies and ingenious wordplay.
—Nancy Kruh, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Below are some highlights… MANCHILD Lots of clever wordplay on the album’s lead single to put down a guy who’s about as sharp as a round ball.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wordplay
Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Perhaps more than ever, Hayes is the circus master of his untamable mind, a seemingly endless source of ear-worm melodies and ingenious wordplay.
—Nancy Kruh, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Busta also received an assist from Papoose and Joyner Lucas, all of them sharing lyrical wordplay and seamless tradeoffs as Busta swung between his trademark dichotomy of rapping to gruff bellowing.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Below are some highlights… MANCHILD Lots of clever wordplay on the album’s lead single to put down a guy who’s about as sharp as a round ball.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wordplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wordplay
Noun
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His keen playful writing combines magical realism, genre-busting humor, literary zip—and there are few people better suited to adapting Wilder than Ethan Lipton.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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With Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby leading the way, the sci-fi/disaster flick is full of humor, heart and high stakes, plus Julia Garner's Silver Surfer is a joy to behold riding all those good vibes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Much of the film’s drama then ensues inside Teddy and Don’s basement like a pseudo chamber piece as captor and captive face off in a battle of wits, logic and strange faith that blurs the lines between divisive politics, conspiracy and cosmic truth.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
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During an October 2022 visit to The Drew Barrymore Show, Clooney reflected on the opportunity and his love for the cast’s wit.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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His coaches, Roy Hallenbeck and Ken Williams, subjected him to the same ribbing as every other player, even teasing him about his preference for wearing the same size too-small jersey for all four years, so that by senior year his biceps stretched the sleeves to their limit.—
Ben Watanabe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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And secondly, the ribbing around the quarter-zip is comfy-looking and actually works to insulate by trapping air.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 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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The cast, for their part, have not let up on their mocking of him.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Just kidding, that’s next Sunday.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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Just kidding; Angie is using this as an opportunity to go after Lisa.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wordplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wordplay. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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