as in joking
marked by or expressive of mild or good-natured teasing
my puns are usually greeted with loud quizzical groans by my so-called friends
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Recent Examples of quizzical
Right from his beginnings with the Talking Heads, Byrne’s quizzical temperament has fueled a determination both to never resist change and to remain open to all kinds of external stimuli.
—
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
When the film won, many in the media room at BAFTA turned to each other with a quizzical look.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
With quizzical eyes upon it, Players Era announced that its checks ultimately cleared a couple weeks later, with most of the money routed through schools’ dedicated NIL collectives.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Baker initially shot Benard a quizzical look.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quizzical
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
When the film won, many in the media room at BAFTA turned to each other with a quizzical look.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026
With quizzical eyes upon it, Players Era announced that its checks ultimately cleared a couple weeks later, with most of the money routed through schools’ dedicated NIL collectives.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Baker initially shot Benard a quizzical look.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quizzical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quizzical
Adjective
-
When asked to divulge what his tactics would be against the powerful Swiss team in Saturday’s World Cup opener for the two nations, Lopetegui couldn’t help but unleash a sarcastic but realistic response.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
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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.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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To get a sense of his whole deal, look no further than the half-mocking, half-earnest title of his latest album, Country!—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quizzical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quizzical. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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