wryly

[ rahy-lee ]

/ ˈraɪ li /

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adverb

in a mockingly or amusingly ironic way: It will be an evening of wryly thoughtful musing, whimsical conversation, and a few old-timey songs.

in a bitter or scornful way; sardonically: The writer wryly adds that he has complete faith in humanity's ability to wake up at the alarm and promptly hit the snooze button.

in a distorted, bent, or lopsided manner:His lips twisted wryly at the acknowledgment.

QUIZ

ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

Question 1 of 7

True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

true

false

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Origin of wryly

wry + -ly

Words nearby wryly

W.R.S.S.R., wrung, WRVS, wry, wrybill, wryly, wrymouth, wryneck, wry-necked, W.S., WSA

How to use wryly in a sentence

“That’ll give me something to fill up my time and forget about the pain of losing the election,” she said wryly.
Becca Williams Seeks to Bring a Lone Conservative Voice to SDUSD’s District C Board Seat|Jakob McWhinney|August 18, 2022|Voice of San Diego
“I envisage there will be a strong PPE element to the fancy dress,” says McRobbie wryly.
What a Rugby Tournament Says About Hong Kong’s Fate as a Financial Center|AMY GUNIA / HONG KONG|August 4, 2022|Time
As Simon Kuper wryly warned in the Financial Times, “If you can do your job from anywhere, then someone anywhere can do your job.”
The Brain Drain That Is Killing America's Economy|Parag Khanna|January 21, 2022|Time
Snare drums burst in time with machine-gun fire, and lyrics like “if I wind up broke” and “one-arm bandits crashin’” find wryly grim new meanings.
Why Isn’t Sean Spicer Mauled by Zombies in Zack Snyder’s ‘Army of the Dead?’|Melissa Leon|May 21, 2021|The Daily Beast

Consequently, as the scholar Beverley Zabriskie wryly points out, “Readers of … Jung are more familiar with Wolfgang Pauli’s unconscious than with his waking life and achievement.”
The Synchronicity of Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung - Issue 93: Forerunners|Paul Halpern|November 18, 2020|Nautilus
And, as Gow adds wryly from his own personal experience, “To a huge extent they achieved that aim very well.”
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He was friendly, a little nervous, getting over a cold, and wryly funny.
Dan Stevens Blows Up ‘Downton’: From Chubby-Cheeked Aristo to Lean, Mean American Psycho|Tim Teeman|September 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Maybe the article should have been titled ‘The End of Women,’” one commenter wryly observed.
The Artificial Womb Will Change Feminism Forever|Samantha Allen|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As the publication Pravda wryly observed, the entire theory appears designed to keep young women on the straight and narrow.
The Strange Science Behind Virgin Births|Candida Moss|January 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the outbreak of the Second World War, he told friends wryly: ‘At any rate we now have less chance of dying of cancer’.
Three Great Men Died That Day: JFK, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley|John Garth|November 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"Oh, no, you're not giving me any more dopes—" Then he stopped, for suddenly it all seemed wryly humorous to him.
The Stars, My Brothers|Edmond Hamilton
"It would have been easier to bring along a helicopter," Wayne said wryly.
The Judas Valley|Gerald Vance
As he stood in the rising elevator, Houston wondered wryly if the number 13 was good luck or bad in this case.
The Penal Cluster|Ivar Jorgensen (AKA Randall Garrett)
Shann grinned wryly now at the short period of childish hope and half-confidence that he could do big things.
Storm Over Warlock|Andre Norton
Gordon grinned wryly; Fats would probably make more than ever.
Police Your Planet|Lester del Rey