How to Use comedy of manners in a Sentence

comedy of manners

noun phrase
  • This comedy of manners about a divorced couple who end up on separate honeymoons at the same hotel remains relatable even a century later.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
  • With its hard shadows and rudimentary staging, the film plays like a crude rough draft of the much richer career that followed, rounding up his troupe at the time for a semi-sophisticated comedy of manners.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
  • For much of its running time, Speak No Evil is a pitch-black comedy of manners, with Bjørn and Louise pushed to the limits of their politeness by Patrick and Karin’s increasingly erratic behavior.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The film sees Wilde herself starring alongside Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz in a comedy of manners that never lets up (and never lets that energy get in the way of some great performances).
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2026
  • This brilliantly acerbic novel is set up as a millennial comedy of manners, but when Remy and Alicia head to the Hamptons for a surf weekend with Instagram-baddie Jen, a pair of glowing eyes in the bushes is just the first indication that things are very, very wrong.
    — Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Two-time Tony winner Baranski will make her West End debut as Judith Bliss with Oscar nominee Grant as David Bliss in the comedy of manners, which centers on four eccentric members of the Bliss family who each invite a guest to spend the weekend at their country house.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comedy of manners.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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