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Could someone solve this analogy?

droll : amusing :: sardonic : ________

P.S. the answer does not have to be a specific length.

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Well, not all amusement is droll, and arguably not all drollery is amusing. But whatever the relationship between the two words is, I'm not sure it makes sense to generalise that relationship and apply it to another pair of words with vaguely related meanings. Cent is to dollar as nickel is to what? – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 0:28
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@FumbleFingers: $5, did you not do math? ;-) – Orbling Apr 19 '11 at 0:36
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@Orbling: Fumble is to Finger as Grope is to....? ;-) – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 0:40
@FumbleFingers: Hmm, tough call, depends on your sliding scale and whether you think of groping as an involuntary thing and how well you get along with a fumble... I would say Rape or Serious Sexual Assault, assuming the involuntary case. – Orbling Apr 19 '11 at 0:43
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@kitukwfyer: I think that's Blood Group, not Grope. – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 1:04
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2 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

Since we do not have any options here, I would nominate mocking as the best answer.

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Ditto from me ... – Robusto Apr 19 '11 at 0:43
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Mordant or sarcastic would also fit the bill if we're looking for words with overtones of 'conversational wit', but that needn't be part of the relationship being transposed here. So you could just as well say derisive, scathing, disdainful, or whatever. Personally I don't see anything more than a long list of synonyms coming out of this Q, so I hope you'll understand if I don't upvote your answer. – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 0:49
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@FumbleFingers: Perhaps, but I think mocking fits better here. It is a direct parallel: one is droll to be amusing, and sardonic to be mocking; also, both amusing and mocking are progressive verb forms used as adjectives. – Robusto Apr 19 '11 at 1:00
@Robusto: Ok, I take your point re mocking. Though I would say your purpose in being sardonic might not be to mock - you might just be expressing bitter cynicism. I still don't think the Q has (or should have) legs. – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 1:08
Excellent, Thank you! – Web_Designer Apr 19 '11 at 1:24
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up vote 0 down vote

Pleasing or satisfying.

The primary definition of "sardonic" is "mocking," or "cynical." Since we need an adjective here, those would be the obvious go-to choices. Another possibility would be "praising," but that's a stretch.

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I don't understand your reasoning there at all. Droll : Amusing is (approximately) a relationship of equivalence. I'm having trouble conceptualising the relationship of Sardonic : Pleasing, but it certainly doesn't seem like an equivalence. Unless you really like burning people with your acid wit... – FumbleFingers Apr 19 '11 at 1:02

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