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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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 Hardy’s prose brims with assurance and wry details that come from lived experiences and conversations. — Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 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 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

Fall’s brisk weather brings with it the promise of cozy knitwear, cashmere socks, and roaring fires—perhaps the only downside is that the grey skies exacerbate the our considerable vitamin D deficiency.

— Violet Hayward, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
Someone could take a brisk walk, climb stairs or use a stationary bike.

— Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

The state oversees different types of facilities for kids in the justice system, ranging in security level from group homes to prisons surrounded by barbed wire.

— Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of barbed

Adjective

Swarup’s book exposes the cynical nature of the quiz show, dangling a literal lifeline to desperate people for the sake of entertainment.

— L.M. Chilton, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Myriad people inside Warner Bros are cynical about the capping of severances and the fact that only a few at the top are bound for a post-merger windfall.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 23 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

Leo appeals to loftier questions about life Unlike Francis, who liked to travel to small Catholic communities far from Rome, Leo has been keen to emphasize and reawaken Europe’s Christian roots.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
O’Connell, a soft-spoken man with a keen eye for detail, previously taught woodworking at North Kansas City High School for 27 years while flipping houses during the summers.

— Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of keen

Adjective

Eco effort Water sufficiency—including water recycling for irrigation in their treatment plant—in a notoriously dry part of the island is a notable part of the resort’s sustainability efforts.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
Explore See latest videos, charts and news Now entering its 22nd edition, the cooler-than-dry-ice bill also includes Slayyyter, ADÉLA, Kim Petras, MUNA, Ninajirachi and Rico Nasty.

— Lars Brandle, Billboard, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of dry

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“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wry. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wry

adjective

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