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wry

/raɪ/
/raɪ/
IPA guide

Other forms: wried; wryest; wryer; wrier; wriest

A wry sense of humor is a sarcastic one. You were late for work, stepped into a mud puddle, and you forgot your lunch. If your co-worker asks how your morning is going, you can reply with a wry tone, "Perfectly perfect."

The original use for the adjective wry was to describe something that was bent or twisted, so a sprained ankle could be described as "a wry ankle." Today, the word wry is often used to describe less tangible twists. Wry humor and wry wit both describe a sense of humor that is a little twisted from the norm.

Definitions of wry
  1. adjective
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    “with a wry Scottish wit”
    synonyms: dry, ironic, ironical
    comedic, humorous, humourous
    full of or characterized by humor
  2. adjective
    bent to one side
    “a wry neck”
    synonyms:
    crooked
    having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
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