sardonic

adjective

sar·​don·​ic sär-ˈdä-nik 

: showing disrespect or scorn for someone or something : disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking

a sardonic comment

a sardonic little jab that made her visitor quiet and subdued for the rest of the night

"The Great War," used interchangeably with "the First World War" (so named in 1918 by a sardonic English journalist, who knew it would not be the last such conflict) …

—Benjamin Schwarz

They have that brand of sardonic humor special to people up against it: black and wry and shocking …

—Doris Lessing

The result is a noir-ish but meditative spy novel about greed, morals and climate change; its short chapters propel the action with a healthy dose of sardonic humor.

—Stuart Miller

Her work lacks the cynicism of more sardonic writers, like Stephen Malkmus or Frank Black. Instead, she's witty and confiding.

—Amanda Petrusich

sardonically

sär-ˈdä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of sardonic

• sarcastic
• satiric
• barbed
• acidic

Choose the Right Synonym for sardonic

sarcastic, satiric, ironic, sardonic mean marked by bitterness and a power or will to cut or sting.

sarcastic implies an intentional inflicting of pain by deriding, taunting, or ridiculing.

a critic known for his sarcastic remarks

satiric implies that the intent of the ridiculing is censure and reprobation.

a satiric look at contemporary society

ironic implies an attempt to be amusing or provocative by saying usually the opposite of what is meant.

made the ironic observation that the government could always be trusted

sardonic implies scorn, mockery, or derision that is manifested by either verbal or facial expression.

surveyed the scene with a sardonic smile

Examples of sardonic in a Sentence

"The Great War," used interchangeably with "the First World War" (so named in 1918 by a sardonic English journalist, who knew it would not be the last such conflict) … —Benjamin Schwarz, Atlantic, May 1999

They have that brand of sardonic humor special to people up against it: black and wry and shocking … —Doris Lessing, New Yorker, 16 Mar. 1987

In a story by Flaubert, this spreading of cloths to save the carpet would be observed with a sardonic eye; in Lawrence it is bleakly practical. —Hugh Kenner, A Sinking Island, 1987

The movie is a sardonic look at modern life.

a sardonic little jab that made her visitor quiet and subdued for the rest of the night

Recent Examples on the Web

The Milk Carton Kids, comprised of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, were their typical sardonic selves as returning hosts, but had some serious thoughts about AI, and Americana music as the antithesis of it. — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026

Along with her equally intellectual and sardonic (some may even say pessimistic) best friend Jane, Daria provided a terrifically entertaining rebuke to late ’90s and early aughts culture. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

As the lone male intern, Leonard, Zolghadri gets to be a bit more sardonic and removed, but the actor loved watching how every character’s journey unfolded in hyper-specificity. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026

It was set among criminal types in Chicago rather than London, but with similarly lovable/hateful characters presented in a similarly sardonic mode. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

re-formation, with the suffix -ic entry 1, of earlier sardonian, from Greek sardónios, alteration (after Sardónios "Sardinian") of earlier sardánios "(of laughter or smiling) bitter, scornful" (of obscure origin) + -an entry 2

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sardonic

• atonic
• benthonic
• bionic
• bosonic
• bubonic
• canonic
• carbonic
• cyclonic
• demonic
• dystonic
• hadronic
• harmonic

Kids Definition

sardonic

adjective

sar·​don·​ic sär-ˈdän-ik 

: scornful, mocking

sardonically

-ˈdän-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb