sardonically

American  

[sahr-don-ik-lee] / sɑrˈdɒn ɪk li /

adverb

1. in a way that is characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mockingly.

   She laughed and sardonically sang him a love song as she prepared to walk out of his life.

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Other Word Forms

• unsardonically adverb

Etymology

Origin of sardonically

sardonic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

His sardonically bouncy song “Vietnam,” from his self-titled album released in 1969, was said to have been Bob Dylan’s favorite antiwar song.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

In film after sardonically titled film, from “Bleak Moments” and “Naked” to “Happy-Go-Lucky,” his cranks suffer more than anyone because they’re stuck with a brain that simply won’t let them relax.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2025

The inquiry’s own lead counsel asked sardonically whether she was “the unluckiest CEO in history”.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2024

Ali Jarbawi, a former minister of the PA and a professor of political science, sardonically responded to the prospect of international security forces by saying “Ahlan wa Sahlan,” which means “welcome” in Arabic.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2023

He thought sardonically of telling him about his mother, to see how he would handle it, but he withdrew the thought quickly.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck