wordplay

Definition of wordplaynext

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 wordplay The showgirl's 'rant bridges' Two key ingredients in Swift's songwriting are exacting wordplay and emotional payoff. Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 Special guest Lil Wayne sparks a lighter before lighting up the track with his wordplay and an iconic C-Murder reference. Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Chinese people, particularly younger ones, have long been enthusiastic about wordplay. ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026 Still others may be deliberately misleading, often hiding useful information or involving cheeky wordplay. Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wordplay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wordplay
Noun
  • Near the end of the play, Majok’s script becomes, like Mann’s score, flatter and broader in its messaging, losing some of its sharpness of observation, and the humor that characterizes Kaysen’s memoir fades.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 June 2026
  • These days, living through a presidency marked by narrowness and resentment, the grace, humor, and curiosity with which Barack Obama approached the world feel impossibly distant.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?
    James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • The Four Seasons actress shouted out her husband, Jeff Richmond, ahead of their 25th wedding anniversary with her signature wit.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Plus, the vertical ribbing gives a subtle lengthening effect (always a win).
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
  • The jokes that really stood out, though, were all about our changing media landscape, whether the not-so-gentle ribbing of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos finally embracing theaters, or Amazon being too much of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Arteta and his Arsenal squad have, of course, downplayed the noise around the club this season, arguing that the widespread mocking doesn’t impact the inner sanctum of the team.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Afroman celebrated his legal victory in a video on Wednesday after winning a defamation lawsuit filed by several Ohio sheriff's deputies who accused the rapper of mocking and allegedly lying about them in music videos, following a 2022 raid on his home.
    Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Just kidding, massage certificate is the way to go.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 May 2026
  • Just kidding, but really, dad-like pairs have been de-throned by low-profile sneakers that have a low sole and slim exterior.
    Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • No fooling, April brings some pretty interesting surprises on Netflix.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wordplay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wordplay. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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