wryness

noun

Definition of wrynessnext
as in whimsicality

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wryness The harp is not an instrument of slyness, wryness, or the earth. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wryness
  1. irony
  2. wittiness
  3. absurdity
  4. ludicrousness
  5. satire
  6. ridiculousness
Noun
  • Maybe not laugh-out-loud humor, though that’s there, but other forms of humor like wit, deadpan, understatement, exaggeration, recognition, irony.
    — Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The irony of Nordic wellness being the hottest lifestyle trend at the moment isn’t lost on Presnal, who grew up in the Turku archipelago surrounded by bays and lush forests.
    — Lola Akinmade, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of irony
Noun
  • D’heygere There’s no one who reads the room better than Stéphanie D’heygere — and adds plenty of wittiness and humor to it.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of wittiness
Noun
  • For all the absurdity, though, the award carries considerable weight — even if the timing is bittersweet.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
  • That obsession reached its peak of exuberant absurdity on a Friday in late July of 1995.
    — Adam Sztykiel, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • How much funnier Shakespeare’s motley crew can be when we’re allowed to discover the variety of eccentricity and ludicrousness on display for ourselves.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • Well, the Premier League table is definitely worth looking at, if only to marvel at its ludicrousness.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Definition of ludicrousness
Noun
  • But the director’s crowd-pleasing instincts had devolved into cutesy self-congratulation by the time his wildly overpraised, Holocaust-trivializing satire Jojo Rabbit came along.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Her songs embrace a wide range of moods and emotions, from unique takes on relationships to political satire.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of satire
Noun
  • Still, despite Kristin’s injury and Rob’s ridiculousness, the tribe wants to vote Eric.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • There are plenty of inconceivable exploits in the final season of Outer Banks, in ranging degrees of ridiculousness.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ridiculousness

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wryness
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Cite this Entry

“Wryness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wryness. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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