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
Revenge wears a wry smile in this prickly comedy from Paul Weitz (the director of American Pie and About a Boy), as Fonda and Tomlin inhabit former best friends who reunite for a funeral.
—
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Told over the course of three celebratory gatherings, the film casts a wry look at Dominican identity, middle-class idiosyncrasies and the fragile threads that bind a family together.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
That scene was a chance to make that case in Jon’s wry manner.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wry
Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Told over the course of three celebratory gatherings, the film casts a wry look at Dominican identity, middle-class idiosyncrasies and the fragile threads that bind a family together.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
His narration is a constant pleasure — mournful, wry, and suffused with a world-weary poetry.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025
That scene was a chance to make that case in Jon’s wry manner.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wry
Adjective
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His witty, sarcastic, and often controversial commentary is the soundtrack to a generation of wrestling fans.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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She’s matched wonderfully by Cooke, who leans into her actual Manchester accent to give Cherry a stroppy, sarcastic bent and whose body looks absolutely banging wrapped in an array of oxblood, maroon, and cerise minidresses.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Even moderate exercise, like a brisk walk, can improve your mood, sleep, and overall energy levels.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Cooler temps and far less humidity than in summer make fall the ideal time to visit, and if the evenings get a bit brisk, there's always a glass of bourbon to take the chill away.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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These tools are thin, flimsy, and built with barbed notches on the side that are used to grabbing hair and break through soap scum or other debris to remove them from your drain.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
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Only those working at the listening station (kept separate from the rest of the compound with barbed wire and a guard shack) knew what was really going on.—
A.K. Whitney,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Huang, also a professional military strategist and university professor, told the Washington Examiner that his party sees the DPP’s posturing as a cynical move to build domestic support without considering the long-term consequences.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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That has often been misinterpreted as a cynical endorsement of warfare.—
Andreas Kluth,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The characters have this sharp, biting, British humor.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
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There’s Bud the biting cat, played by a feline named Tonic and who deserves a three-picture deal.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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So far, no travel plans have been made, but several analysts expect Xi to repeat his offer, especially knowing that Trump is always keen to be received with diplomatic fanfare.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
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Vultures possess a keen sense of smell which is unique to the species and explains why they are drawn to dead animals.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Norberg finds the situation ironic, given that foreclosure is a slow-moving process and will take months.—
Thomas Gounley,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, the headphones, meant to unify the audience in a shared soundscape, instead isolate viewers into their glowing silos, which feels like an ironic choice for a show supposedly about communal grief.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Soothing ingredients, including niacinamide, chlorella, calendula, aloe, and chamomile, ensure your skin isn’t stripped dry in the process.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Much of central Saskatchewan received less than half an inch of rainfall in April and May, leaving many wetlands dry.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wry. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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