wried; wrying
: to pull out of or as if out of proper shape : make awry
1
: bent, twisted, or turned usually abnormally to one side
a wry nose
2
: made by a deliberate distortion of the facial muscles often to express irony or mockery
a wry smile
4
: cleverly and often ironically or grimly humorous
a wry wit
wryness
noun
Examples of wry in a Sentence
Adjective
His books are noted for their wry humor.
When I asked her how she felt after winning the race, she gave me a wry smile and said, “Pretty tired.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
The dialogue is alternately wry and poetic, trafficking in a deadpan magical realism, involving its bustling cast of colorful characters in a circular story, with events revisited via shifting perspectives and time frames.
—Jason Bailey, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
The whimsical but wry perspective on Britishness that made the first two Paddingtons so watchable threatens to be intolerable when turned outward, like someone going from in-jokes to insult comedy.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
Perhaps Cronin’s biggest ally in his bid to keep coaching is his wry sense of humor.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wry
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.
Adjective
The sense of incidence with which May ’68 plays out, far in the background, speaks to a film for which the political is of little importance, or at least one that reflects the political through wry non-confrontations.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2025
The dialogue is alternately wry and poetic, trafficking in a deadpan magical realism, involving its bustling cast of colorful characters in a circular story, with events revisited via shifting perspectives and time frames.
—Jason Bailey, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
The whimsical but wry perspective on Britishness that made the first two Paddingtons so watchable threatens to be intolerable when turned outward, like someone going from in-jokes to insult comedy.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025
Perhaps Cronin’s biggest ally in his bid to keep coaching is his wry sense of humor.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wry
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share