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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Recent Examples of wry
But then Davis meets up with his boss, Money, played by Nick Nolte with an old man’s jagged rasp as dramatic as his wry middle-aged intensity used to be.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
As referee Craig Pawson revealed his fate after being sent to the monitor by the VAR, Szoboszlai offered a wry smile, then headed for the tunnel.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Her tone was wry, but her voice hung there just for a moment before finding its footing.
—Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Even before the premise and question were completely uttered, a wry smile appeared on the face of the newest member of the Charlotte Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
As referee Craig Pawson revealed his fate after being sent to the monitor by the VAR, Szoboszlai offered a wry smile, then headed for the tunnel.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Her tone was wry, but her voice hung there just for a moment before finding its footing.
—Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Even before the premise and question were completely uttered, a wry smile appeared on the face of the newest member of the Charlotte Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry
Adjective
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Moving between longing, sarcastic humor and anger, Penelope is a life-affirming feminist romance that makes an ancient legend, first told thousands of years ago, still relevant today.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
As Torquay’s women’s team were beating Gloucester on Sunday, commenters left sarcastic replies under the club’s social media updates.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Daytime temperatures are more mild and the evenings are brisk.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
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March is the ultimate transitional month, full of days that might oscillate between brisk winter temperatures and sunny springtime moments.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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My grandmother started working at the age of 12 years old in a linen factory in Belfast, traveling through barbed wire and barricades every day, not to school but to a job to support her family.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2026
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My parents were just children when they were wrested from their homes into tarpaper barracks surrounded by barbed wire.—
Julie Morita,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Craig Robinson is Reggie’s nemesis, as the aforementioned Jerry Basmati, a rival player (and cynical Christian), who inherited the post-gridiron media career Reggie imagined for himself.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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To some leaders of the Council, President Harry Truman’s early recognition of the Jewish state in 1948 was not a great human-rights advance but a cynical gambit to pander to a bloc of voters and improve his chance of being reëlected in 1948.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Chill Factor Perhaps the most biting statistic of the season so far is the temperature.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But like other African countries, Zimbabwe is increasingly keen to maximize the value of its minerals by processing them at home before exporting.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
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Similarly, Survivor 48’s Kamilla Karthigesu was shown to be an enthusiastic operator keen to pull a fast one on her tribemates.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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How ironic that the piece appears as millions of Americans are freezing, without power, and New York City’s mayor is paying citizens to shovel snow.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
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The mix of accessible designs and bold propositions, rich in pop references and communicated through ironic and irreverent campaigns, activations and collaboration galore enabled Calza to carve a specific niche of loyal fans.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Wildfires are common during the dry winter season.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
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The dry down is even better than the initial spritz, turning into a warm, sensual, floral bouquet sitting next to a bowl of fresh cut strawberries.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wry. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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