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
W. Joseph Campbell, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024
But though there are wry laughs to be had, from the exquisite awkwardness of the setup alone, Babygirl was received by many as a comedy, which trivializes the extraordinary atmosphere that Reijn creates.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2024
Though the subject matter is serious, the execution is wry, especially when Martin’s mother Linda (Lisa Kudrow, sharply hilarious) chimes in.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Through a Zoom screen, King radiates compassion and attunement, and Faber is wry and delightfully discursive; both seem like the mom whose house everybody would hang out at after school.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2023
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
From time to time over the years, polls and pollsters have piqued the wit and wry humor of many cartoonists.
—W. Joseph Campbell, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024
But though there are wry laughs to be had, from the exquisite awkwardness of the setup alone, Babygirl was received by many as a comedy, which trivializes the extraordinary atmosphere that Reijn creates.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2024
Though the subject matter is serious, the execution is wry, especially when Martin’s mother Linda (Lisa Kudrow, sharply hilarious) chimes in.
—Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Through a Zoom screen, King radiates compassion and attunement, and Faber is wry and delightfully discursive; both seem like the mom whose house everybody would hang out at after school.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for wry
Dictionary Entries Near wry
Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share