wit

noun

ˈwit How to pronounce wit (audio)
Definition of witnext
1
as in comedian
a person (as a writer) noted for or specializing in humor the pundits and political wits will get a lot of mileage out of the senator's latest gaffe

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2
as in wisdom
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters he doesn't even have the wit to know when to come in out of the rain

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3
as in mind
usually wits plural the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities scared out of her wits

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4
as in intelligence
exceptional discernment and judgment especially in practical matters lacked the wit to see that the war was unwinnable

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wit are humor, irony, repartee, sarcasm, and satire. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

When would humor be a good substitute for wit?

The words humor and wit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

When could irony be used to replace wit?

The meanings of irony and wit largely overlap; however, irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

In what contexts can repartee take the place of wit?

In some situations, the words repartee and wit are roughly equivalent. However, repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

Where would sarcasm be a reasonable alternative to wit?

The synonyms sarcasm and wit are sometimes interchangeable, but sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When can satire be used instead of wit?

The words satire and wit can be used in similar contexts, but satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

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 wit Keep your wits about you today, for your own sake. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026 From Nigel Kneale's Quatermass through to Doctor Who, UK science fiction has a character all its own, combining small island sensibilities and anxieties with a dash of British wit. —Chris McMullen, Space.com, 4 Feb. 2026 That’s one of my favorite date things to do, play chess and match wits with a lady. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026 Broke, pregnant and at her wit’s end, Margo (Elle Fanning) decides to lie down on the floor of a department store’s baby section. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wit
  1. comedian
  2. wisdom
  3. mind
  4. intelligence
  5. prudence
  6. sanity
  7. insight
  8. sense
Noun
  • Actor-comedian Cecily Strong is 42.
    — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The British Whitehall, primarily known as a stand-up comedian, panel show guest and presenter, makes a fine romantic lead.
    — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of comedian
Noun
  • If affordability is today’s most pressing challenge, lawmakers must not confuse volume with wisdom, and instead confront the policies that continue to drive high costs and limit opportunity.
    — Carol Platt Liebau, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Just as Clinton Edgar Woods saw the wisdom of combining the advantages of gasoline and electric power, so today’s hybrids could serve as a bridge while battery technology and charging infrastructure continue to mature.
    — Bill Gourgey, Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of wisdom
Noun
  • Naumov doesn’t enter with the same pressure as Malinin but has already exceeded expectations in his mind.
    — Greg Rosenstein, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
  • For the launch colorway, a vivid graphic may initially bring to mind heat maps with its application of blue, green, yellow and red — but the choice was actually made to invoke a temporal fold, a theoretical concept of bending spacetime to move faster than the speed of light.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of mind
Noun
  • Israeli intelligence expert Sima Shein has warned that negotiations narrowly focused on nuclear restrictions could leave Israel exposed.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The feed was sent directly to Russian intelligence.
    — Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of intelligence
Noun
  • Over and over again, the owners opt for organizational stagnation and attempt to disguise it as prudence.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
  • The state police Troop H barracks are nearby but prudence suggested assigning a State Police trooper to the building would be best way to provide an immediate response to a problem.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026
Definition of prudence
Noun
  • Voters must understand that the college affordability crisis was engineered by perverse incentives and that free-market reforms can help restore sanity to the system.
    — Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Save your rosary beads — and your sanity — for whenever Sweden comes on the TV.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of sanity
Noun
  • Meanwhile, social media use has steadily declined since time spent on the platforms peaked in 2022, according to an analysis of the online habits of 250,000 adults in more than 50 countries by the Financial Times and digital audience insights firm GWI.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026
  • This study also provides crucial insights for future climate models, especially in the context of current concerns over rising carbon dioxide levels.
    — Ben Mather, Space.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of insight
Noun
  • This piece leans into the jewelry aspect of watch-making, exuding a sense of opulence perfect for a night out.
    — John Monaco, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Although many modern artists have used collage to navigate and interpret the impersonal detritus of mass culture, Canty’s work, with its understated sense of place, is quite different.
    — Benjamin Lima Special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of sense

Phrases Containing wit

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wistful
wit
witch
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Cite this Entry

“Wit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wit. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on wit

Nglish: Translation of wit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wit

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