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 Despite a dizzying number of podcasts, the sports world lacks wry, newsy video chats of true depth, at least since Around the Horn went off the air. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 The wry, winking tone still legible in its pages was an early iteration of the urbane magazine voice that powered nineteenth-century publications such as Judge and Puck, as well as later ones like The New Yorker, New York, Spy, and Gawker. — Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 Flowers’ voice also carries some of Waylon’s wry, bear-hug generosity, that warmth that always makes his music feel like good company. — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 25 Aug. 2026 Romano’s wry, hangdog default demeanor suits his character, Joe, a father of two who’s separated from his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) and living in a depressing motel. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry

Adjective

This hampers several of my favorite performances, especially Harper, whose Ben is full of sarcastic indignation, and June Laporte as Ginny, an aspiring reporter in need of proper mentoring.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
The sarcastic Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and affable actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) are among her favorite characters.

— Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Adjective

Roughly 30 minutes a day of brisk walking, light jogging, swimming or cycling supports the hormone’s natural rhythm when the effort feels energising rather than exhausting.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
Cooler temps and far less humidity than in summer make fall the ideal time to visit, and if the evenings get a bit brisk, there’s always a glass of bourbon to take the chill away.

— Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Sep. 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

Which is to say, this is more a barbed comedy of manners than a proper, elegant period piece.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
There are plenty of Ostalgie museums in today’s united Germany, furnished with memorabilia of the German Democratic Republic, from twigs of barbed wire to Trabant gearboxes.

— Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of barbed

Adjective

Here, the omnipresent superstar portrays Kade Auberon, a cynical rogue confronted by his mysterious past.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Those measures – in 2018, 2020 and 2022 – were placed by a particularly cynical health workers union abusing the initiative process to punish dialysis clinics that opposed unionization efforts.

— The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of cynical

Adjective

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
The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026

Definition of biting

Adjective

For there is a sense that the series is working toward a keener meaning of what politics and those who practice this less-than-scientific pursuit are about.

— Miles Beller, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Pro Ref, the governing body for English soccer officials, will be keen to avoid any further mishaps before the international break.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of keen

Adjective

Seen one way, the title of HBO’s new Youth is clearly ironic.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
Bringing together the private shattering of a home with the epic tale of homecoming offers Gluck a distanced, often ironic, stance on her life’s most painful moments.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of ironic

Adjective

Make sure skin is clean and dry so the patch sticks — skip body lotions or oils in this area.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 Sep. 2026
Saalt Wear leakproof underwear is super comfortable, featuring patented leak technology that's ultra-thin and dry and works for everything from periods to bladder leaks, from teenage years to postmenopause.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026