WRY Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

wry

adjective

Definition of wry

as in sarcastic

marked by the use of clever and often dark humor The writer had a wry wit that was something of an acquired taste.

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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 wry And Marissa Mayer, the former Yahoo CEO who just launched Dazzle AI, has a wry take on some of the men now spouting doomsday rhetoric in Silicon Valley. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 And indeed Verity — directed with straightforward competence and a faint wry smirk by Michael Showalter and adapted by screenwriter Nick Antosca (Apple TV’s Cape Fear series) — is a mild lark for its first hour. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 There is just enough wry humor—think Shaun of the Dead—sprinkled throughout to keep things from getting too grim, often deriving from Bryan’s cluelessness and general lack of skills. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026 Their bond deepens with the wry neuroses and gradually dropped defenses of many a midlife romantic comedy, though Parkinson’s complicates matters in unusual, empathetically explored ways. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry

Adjective

Eidra pushes her tendency to get glib and sarcastic rather than risk being vulnerable and honest to its farthest limits.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
The interest has been driven largely by the brand's casual, sarcastic tone and active participation in online trends.

— Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Adjective

On a brisk Saturday in October, more than 80 people try to shuffle into the small Corner Bookstore in New York City's Upper East Side.

— Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2026
Ticket sales have been so brisk that Center Theatre Group has already booked the show again for next season.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

The piece is an exuberantly hopeful and unabashedly patriotic look at America and its possibilities that seems downright defiant in such a deeply cynical and divided time in the nation’s history.

— Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Far more gruesome and cynical than its YA label would imply, Weiner’s brisk novel is the literary equivalent of a sugar rush.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of cynical

Adjective

Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of biting

Adjective

Beijing, keen to support its domestic semiconductor industry, refuses to approve large-scale imports by its big internet companies.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
That may seem more palatable, but a keen observer might notice that prior highs occasionally present some technical resistance, and Costco topped out at about $1,090 back in mid-May.

— Michael Khouw, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of keen

Adjective

Now, there’re signs that the push to automate labor is actually backfiring in ironic fashion, as workers who’ve been forced to adopt AI tools are becoming less efficient as time goes on.

— Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 8 Nov. 2026
But as Leslie’s situation grows increasingly complicated, Sarah’s emerging love story proves to be a bittersweet, ironic counterpoint.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of ironic

Adjective

Stock acetaminophen or ibuprofen for aches and fever, a decongestant for stuffiness, guaifenesin to loosen chest mucus and dextromethorphan to calm a dry cough.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026
Houston metro area showers should ease after sunrise Wednesday, but lingering clouds and a few passing showers could affect Veterans Day events before drier air arrives late at night.

— Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2026