drollery

noun

droll·​ery ˈdrōl-rē How to pronounce drollery (audio)
ˈdrō-lə-
plural drolleries
Synonyms of drollerynext
1
: something that is droll
especially : a comic picture or drawing
2
: the act or an instance of jesting or burlesquing
3
: whimsical humor

Synonyms

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Examples of drollery in a Sentence

the film's sophisticated drolleries will elicit smiles and chuckles even upon repeated viewings though generally serious, the novel about a seriously dysfunctional family is not without drollery
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
He is played by Ethan Hawke, a mainstay of Linklater’s movies, in a remarkable amalgam of bitterness, exuberance, drollery, tenderness, frustration, and tremendous artistic passion. — Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025 Matthew Rankin’s latest surreal comedy, between hilarious drollery and bitter disillusionment. — J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drollery was in 1597

Browse Nearby Words

droll
drollery
drollingly
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Cite this Entry

“Drollery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drollery. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drollery

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