sardonic

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.

sar·don·ic

(sär-dŏn′ĭk)

adj.

1. Scornfully or cynically mocking: a sardonic sense of humor.

2. Given to making sardonic remarks: "He was proud, sardonic, harsh to inferiority of every description" (Charlotte Brontë).

[French sardonique, from Greek sardonios, alteration of sardanios; perhaps akin to sesērenai, to show the teeth, grin mockingly.]

sar·don′i·cal·ly adv.

sar·don′i·cism (-ĭ-sĭz′əm) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sardonic

(sɑːˈdɒnɪk) or

sardonical

adj

characterized by irony, mockery, or derision

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

sarˈdonically adv

sarˈdonicism n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sar•don•ic

(sɑrˈdɒn ɪk)

adj.

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

[1630–40; alter. of earlier sardonian (influenced by French sardonique) < Latin sardoni(us) (< Greek sardónios of Sardinia) + -an¹; alluding to a Sardinian plant which when eaten was supposed to produce convulsive laughter ending in death]

sar•don′i•cal•ly, adv.

sar•don′i•cism, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adj.

sardonic - disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking; "his rebellion is the bitter, sardonic laughter of all great satirists"- Frank Schoenberner; "a wry pleasure to be...reminded of all that one is missing"- Irwin Edman

sarcastic - expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds

sardonic

adjective mocking, cynical, dry, bitter, sneering, jeering, malicious, wry, sarcastic, derisive, ironical, mordant, mordacious a sardonic sense of humour

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

sardonic

adjective

Marked by or displaying contemptuous mockery of the motives or virtues of others:

cynic, cynical, ironic, ironical, wry.

Translations

häijyivallinen

sardonic

[sɑːˈdɒnɪk] ADJ [humour, laugh] → sardónico; [person] → sarcástico, burlón; [tone] → burlón
she gave a sardonic smile → sonrió con sarcasmo or con aire burlón

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

sardonic

[sɑː^rˈdɒnɪk] adj → sardonique

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

sardonic

adj, sardonically

adv → süffisant; grin, laugh also → sardonisch (liter)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

sardonic

[sɑːˈdɒnɪk] adj → sardonico/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

B-'s most sardonic tones, to that enviable situation.

View in context

Again, a young girl, more bold and saucy than was fitting, brushed the priest's black robe, singing in his face the sardonic ditty, "niche, niche, the devil is caught." Sometimes a group of squalid old crones, squatting in a file under the shadow of the steps to a porch, scolded noisily as the archdeacon and the bellringer passed, and tossed them this encouraging welcome, with a curse: "Hum!

View in context

He told me with grim humour of the time he had spent acting as guide to Cockneys who wanted to see the night side of life in Paris; it was an occupation that appealed to his sardonic temper and somehow or other he had acquired a wide acquaintance with the more disreputable quarters of the city.

View in context

Jimmie gave vent to a sardonic curse and then laughed heavily.

View in context

The doctor looked at her with a sardonic smile; he thought it likely that he had discovered her sweetheart.

View in context

An elderly man was at their heels scolding and directing in a creaky, sardonic voice.

View in context

The sergeant, taking note of this, gave pause to his elaborate history while he administered a sardonic comment.

View in context

The grin with which the ruined speculator turned on his wife was nearly sardonic.

View in context

One of them turned toward me with a sardonic smile upon his thin, cruel lips--it was Zat Arras.

View in context

Clutton, the most silent of them all, remained behind listening, with a sardonic smile on his lips, to Cronshaw's maunderings.

View in context

His sharp, shameless black eyes watched the girl's face absently; his gross lips curled upwards in a sardonic and self-satisfied smile.

View in context

Saying those words, he took off his hat with a sardonic assumption of respect; and, holding her arm in his, forced her to walk on abruptly with him.