sardonic

[ sahr-don-ik ]

/ sɑrˈdɒn ɪk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sardonic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical; sneering: a sardonic grin.

Nearby words

sardine, sardinia, sardinian, sardis, sardius, sardonic, sardonic grin, sardonyx, sardou, saree, sarera bay

Origin of sardonic

1630–40; alteration of earlier sardonian (influenced by French sardonique) < Latin sardoni(us) (< Greek sardónios of Sardinia) + -an; alluding to a Sardinian plant which when eaten was supposed to produce convulsive laughter ending in death

SYNONYMS FOR sardonic

biting, mordant, contemptuous.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sardonic ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

sar·don·i·cal·ly, adverbsar·don·i·cism, nounun·sar·don·ic, adjectiveun·sar·don·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sardonic

“Louie has a typical day”—that's the log line, sardonic and perfect.
Why Is Louis C.K. So Funny? He Uses Humor as a Moral Compass.|Andrew Romano|May 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A pantomime horse plays a role, as does a sardonic hand puppet.
‘Family Tree’ Brings Christopher Guest’s Mockumentary Style to HBO|Jace Lacob|May 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Ebert was celebrated for the sardonic wit and democratic writing style he employed in his reviews.
Roger Ebert, 70, Has Died: A Look at the Life of Cinema’s Great Appreciator|Marlow Stern|April 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Alan Arkin also provides an award-worthy turn as Lester Siegel, a sardonic, over-the-hill movie mogul who helps in the mission.
Telluride Film Festival Kicks Off Oscar Season: Bill Murray, Ben Affleck & More|Marlow Stern|September 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST

This is Cheever on Xanax, or maybe lithium, but the voice is still there; sardonic, hilarious, and very much of our time.
Must Reads: Kennedy, Sontag and Paris, ‘A Partial History of Lost Causes,’ ‘City of Bohane,’ ‘Flatscreen’|Lauren Elkin, Mythili Rao, Drew Toal, Nicholas Mancusi|April 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She looked at him with a sardonic smile, plucking a pink wad from the lid of a box of sweetmeats beside her.
Atlantis|Gerhart Hauptmann
The face of Jesuit Morlet was still, as always, calm and sardonic; he wore a carmagnole jacket and red bonnet.
The Sword of Honor, volumes 1 & 2|Eugne Sue
"You'll have to catch her first," replied Dr. Bird, a sardonic grin on his face.
The Great Drought|Sterner St. Paul Meek
The supper proving satisfactory, she felt at liberty to indulge her one social gift of a sardonic humour.
Second String|Anthony Hope
And his answer, given with a sudden smile from out of the sardonic redness of his beard: "Id is an Ardt!"
The Complete Essays of John Galsworthy|John Galsworthy

British Dictionary definitions for sardonic

sardonic

/ (sɑːˈdɒnɪk) /

adjective

characterized by irony, mockery, or derision

Derived Forms

sardonically, adverbsardonicism, noun

Word Origin for sardonic

C17: from French sardonique, from Latin sardonius, from Greek sardonios derisive, literally: of Sardinia, alteration of Homeric sardanios scornful (laughter or smile)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012