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
Carrie Battan, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
The actor brought his wry comic timing to another signature role in Party Down (2009–2023) and had guest roles on everything from 2 Broke Girls (2012–2017), Night Court (2024–2025), and Nobody Wants This with his Veronica Mars costar Bell (2025) .
—Sezin Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Jan. 2026
Weike Wang, Chemistry Weike Wang’s debut novel is quick, wry, and fraught with self-deprecating humor.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
One needed to simply see the wry smile on Palczewski’s face to know this was a strange vote.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026
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Adjective
There’s no shortage of young women making confessional, wry pop music these days, but Hobert has carved out her own lane with a bookish persona and shrewdly specific lyrics bound in tidy and broadly appealing pop songs.
—Cite this Entry
“Wry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wry. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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