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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.
Antonyms: straight
- devious in course or purpose; misdirected.
- distorted or perverted, as in meaning.
wry
/ raɪ /
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
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Derived Forms
- ˈwryly, adverb
- ˈwryness, noun
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Other Words From
- wry·ly adverb
- wry·ness noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of wry1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of wry1
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Example Sentences
Richardson took wry pleasure in observing the effect on her social life of her appointment as chief tax collector.
The man in these posts comes across as a devoted dad and husband with a wry sense of humor, who likes fishing, grilling and secretly watching The Golden Girls.
She’s maintained a wry humor through all the heartbreaking cases.
Their job, he said with a wry smile, was to give away money, and they should be getting down on their hands and knees to thank you for giving them the opportunity to support something important.
When he does appear, he dispenses irony with the wry observational voice of an immortal.
Making sense of her life on the page, deploying raw emotion alongside humor and wry mischief, has long been a Bechdel pursuit.
The quick-cut trailer suggests a soft-core romp with dramatic intrigue and wry one-liners.
I looked at parts of it," he says, adding with wry self-deprecation, "I didn't see much benefit in comparing myself to Marlon.
Her wry, progressive grandmother Oleanna Redwyne (Diana Rigg)—the real power behind the House Tyrell.
But Beard was, as Beard would have put it, "wry," which is the word people like Beard use when they mean funny.
Gwynne made a wry face as he sat down before the dressing-table that he might reflect his visage while he brushed his hair.
Janet made a wry face and with the greatest care eased herself into a chair piled with cushions.
To admire these same views, is it not admiring without knowing wry?
Genevieve made a wry face; then, meeting Mrs. Kennedy's reproving eye, she colored.
King OLeary made a wry face, and ran his hand nervously through his hair.
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More About Wry
What does wry 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 does wry come from?
The first records of the word wry as an adjective come from around the 1520s. It comes from the Old English wrīgian, 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.
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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 is wry 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 #EPA — 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. https://t.co/Ony9MTSGRL— Dan Fagin (@danfagin) November 27, 2019
Seguin also responded with a wry smile and was clearly screwing around. It was far from an "anti-analytics" moment.
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn) September 15, 2020
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. pic.twitter.com/oYCZmeVHaD
— Sara H-S (@shsnaps) August 16, 2019
Try using wry!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of wry?
A. twisted
B. straightforward
C. warped
D. crooked
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