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wry
[ rahy ]
adjective
- bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing:
a wry remark.
- produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features:
a wry grin.
a wry mouth.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms:
- devious in course or purpose; misdirected.
- distorted or perverted, as in meaning.
wry
/ ɪ /
adjective
- twisted, contorted, or askew
- (of a facial expression) produced or characterized by contorting of the features, usually indicating dislike
- drily humorous; sardonic
- warped, misdirected, or perverse
- (of words, thoughts, etc) unsuitable or wrong
verb
- tr to twist or contort
Derived Forms
- ˈɰԱ, noun
- ˈɰ, adverb
Other 51Թ Forms
- ɰ· adverb
- ɰ·Ա noun
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of wry1
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of wry1
Example Sentences
It’s wry and authentic, a sweet but slight gem that properly reflects life’s ever-changing nature and how we find contentment amid that chaos.
There were wry homemade versions too, such as one that said, “Science. The reason you’re not dead yet.”
The tone of the first half of the book, which is set in L.A., is very wry.
The memoir displays Dunthorne’s gift for wry understatement and his doggedness as a researcher: he dug through archives, toted around a Geiger counter and even cooked food that his great-grandfather once consumed.
At first, Kenny Clark seemed fine, his wry sense of humor intact even from a hospital bed.
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More About Wry
What doeswry mean?
Wry commonly means humorous in a way that’s very “dry,” irreverent, ironic, sarcastic, or sardonic. The sense of word is especially used in the terms wry humor and wry wit.
This sense of wry is a figurative extension of its literal sense, which means crooked, lopsided, contorted, or distorted. It can also mean contrary or perverse.
A wry smile and a wry expression are probably both somewhat contorted and intended to indicate a sense of irony or sarcasm. You might give a wry smile after telling a particularly wry joke (the kind of joke that’s so dry that it’s hard to tell whether it’s a joke).
The related word awry can be used as an adverb form of wry or as an adjective meaning wrong in some way (amiss) or slanted or twisted (askew).
Example: It takes a while to get used to her wry sense of humor, but she’s not as cynical as she sounds.
Where doeswry come from?
The first records of the word wry as an adjective come from around the 1520s. It comes from the Old English ɰī, meaning “to turn”—wry was first used in English as a verb meaning “to twist,” but this sense has since fallen out of use.
The words twisted and warped can be used as synonyms for literal sense of wry and as informal synonyms for its figurative sense—a wry sense of humor is often a twisted or warped one. Wry humor is often very dry, meaning it’s expressed in a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way. That’s why you might need to follow it up with a wry smile to let the person know that you’re making a joke.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to wry?
- wryly (adverb)
- wryness (noun)
What are some synonyms for wry?
What are some words that share a root or word element with wry?
What are some words that often get used in discussing wry?
How iswry used in real life?
Wry is usually used to describe a particular type of ironic humour.
A smart, honest & dedicated public servant with a wry sense of humor, he built — and then returned to it to stop the hemorrhaging under very difficult circumstances.
He was also a hero of the Saturday Night Massacre.
RIP, Bill Ruckelshaus, a man who made government work.— Dan Fagin (@danfagin)
Seguin also responded with a wry smile and was clearly screwing around. It was far from an "anti-analytics" moment.
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn)
Beyond thrilled to have an advance copy of this “witty, wry, and wonky” little mycological treasure. Available everywhere October 29 – and keep an eye out for a Lawrence Millman mushroom talk near you this fall. Full tour dates to coming soon.
— Sara H-S (@shsnaps)
Try usingwry!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of wry?
A. twisted
B. straightforward
C. warped
D. crooked
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