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
Meanwhile, the boy protagonist—both innocent and wry, and more mature than either parent—shuttles between the two, trying to keep them from falling apart entirely.
—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
The cockroach has become a wry badge of endurance and political articulation.
—
ABC News,
5 June 2026
Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.
—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
The act earned a brief pose and a wry smile from the Spurs star.
—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
The cockroach has become a wry badge of endurance and political articulation.
—
ABC News,
5 June 2026
Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.
—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
The act earned a brief pose and a wry smile from the Spurs star.
—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry
Adjective
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There were the polite claps after good attacks by the Swiss, sarcastic whistles by the Qatari fans after their team again failed to mount a threat.
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When the 10th batter (Dalton Rushing) struck out for the first out of the inning, the diminished number of Pirates fans still on hand gave a sarcastic cheer for their team’s stick-to-itiveness.
Adjective
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Maddie’s Secret by John Early is doing brisk business at the IFC Center as screenings fill up for opening weekend of the Magnolia Pictures’ comedy.
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Even so, her spiral downward to near death before ending up in treatment is ridiculously, gloriously brisk.
Adjective
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Devil's Rope Museum in McLean, Texas Roughly an hour's drive from Amarillo, the Devil's Rope Museum is an interesting stop, with exhibits dedicated to the history of Route 66 in Texas, as well as the importance of barbed wire and its impact on the American West.
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Johnson was initially refused entry, but got inside by using a set of stairs to hop a barbed wire fence, prosecutors said.
Adjective
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Traditionally cynical and perceptive commentators—not to mention a lot of tired citizens—found themselves, in some accounts, overcome by an unexpected wave of patriotic sentimentality that washed away, at least for a moment, their gnawing doubts.
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Heston is at his most gleefully cynical as Robert Thorn, a police detective who lives and works in a New York City decimated by environmental deterioration and dwindling resources.
Adjective
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So Google isn’t trying to release more biting mosquitoes into neighborhoods.
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Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.
Adjective
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However, many board members were not keen on the idea given that the North Miami Ave property sits directly across from railroad tracks serving the Brightline high-speed passenger train.
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For those more keen on refreshing their homes, our team also has plenty of decor and appliance picks—including a luxury coffee maker—to recommend.
Adjective
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Whatever the reasons, the result is somewhat ironic.
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This swift pivot to AI is ironic, given its significant energy and water consumption, directly contradicting climate goals.
Adjective
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Combine gin, lime juice, syrup, Aperol and dry Curaçao in a shaker filled with ice.
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Although oil companies still needed to use up a significant portion of their inventories during the supply shock, the demand destruction kept crude stockpiles from running dry.
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wry. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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