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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 Co-created by Seinfeld and Larry David, the sitcom was a massive hit in the ’90s thanks to its wry dissection of social norms, and the talents of costars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026 Chocolate brings it home with a punch line—a wry observation to end the story with a laugh. — Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026 Wright is a highly engaging writer with a wry wit, and The God Test is a pleasure to read. — Air Mail, 13 June 2026 As his practice evolved, Michals would continue to question the cycles of life and time, creating sequences that often have a wry sense of humor and surrealist bent to them. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry

Adjective

Another way to say this is that, in place of the extensive self-announcements Plato allows his characters, Rochester substitutes his own summary judgements, his sarcastic imitations.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026

Definition of sarcastic

Adjective

The vineyard is the site of a Christmas tree farm, and tends to be crisp and brisk, like the resulting wines.

— Laura Ness, Mercury News, 5 July 2026
There are brisk 7am forest walks, group yoga, breath work, and a class on Lanserhof healing exercises, which combine stretching, tapping, and movement.

— Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026

Definition of brisk

Adjective

But his view of Adrian’s methods, goals, and way of life end up making the bond of mentorship both tenuous and barbed.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Meanwhile, McGrew agreed to adjustments, including adding baffles to reduce sound from a attached generator for the tower and replacing tower fencing that incorporated barbed wire with taller, more natural looking fencing.

— Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

Definition of barbed

Adjective

His willingness to move to Rio de Janeiro upon taking the job endeared him to the cynical public, as did his decision to call up Neymar to his squad to quieten the noise the forward’s potential exclusion would have brought with it.

— Chris Evans, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Against the run of play, the Atlas Lions won a free kick near the corner of the box after Luc De Fougerolles was booked for a cynical challenge.

— Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 4 July 2026

Definition of cynical

Adjective

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
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026

Definition of biting

Adjective

His eye-catching performances have put him on the radar of Europe’s top clubs, with Newcastle United keen to land the 20-year-old.

— Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Alvarez is keen to explore simple fluids in the context of spinning materials into fibers — which can have applications in engineering and medicine.

— Rohini Subrahmanyam, Quanta Magazine, 10 July 2026

Definition of keen

Adjective

Combine that with increasingly hotter and drier weather due to climate change, and forests in the Sierra Nevada are left with a ton of stuff that’s ready to burst into flames.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Rubye was ten feet ahead, bent under the weight of a dry bag, in a cloud of black flies.

— John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026