Definition of IRONY

Choose the Right Synonym for irony

wit, humor, irony, sarcasm, satire, repartee mean a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement. wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous. a playful wit humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness. a sense of humor irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed. the irony of the title sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound. given to heartless sarcasm satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature. a satire on the Congress repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily. a dinner guest noted for repartee

What's irony?

Considerable thought is given to what events constitute “true” irony, and the dictionary is often called upon to supply an answer. Here are the facts about how the word irony is used.

Irony has two formal uses that are not as common in general prose as its more casual uses. One refers to Socratic irony—a method of revealing an opponent’s ignorance by pretending to be ignorant yourself and asking probing questions. The other refers to dramatic irony or tragic irony—an incongruity between the situation in a drama and the words used by the characters that only the audience can see. Socratic irony is a tool used in debating; dramatic irony is what happens when the audience realizes that Romeo and Juliet’s plans will go awry.

The third, and debated, use of irony regards what’s called situational irony. Situational irony involves a striking reversal of what is expected or intended: a person sidesteps a pothole to avoid injury and in doing so steps into another pothole and injures themselves. Critics claim the word irony and ironic as they are generally used (as in, “Isn’t it ironic that you called just as I was planning to call you?”) can only apply to situational irony, and uses like the one above are more properly called coincidence.

The historical record shows that irony and ironic have been used imprecisely for almost 100 years at least, and often to refer to coincidence. This 1939 quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald is typical: "It is an ironic thought that the last picture job I took—against my better judgment—yielded me five thousand dollars five hundred and cost over four thousand in medical attention." Is this true situational irony? It’s debatable.

The word irony has come to be applied to events that are merely curious or coincidental, and while some feel this is an incorrect use of the word, it is merely a new one.

Examples of irony in a Sentence

The great irony of human intelligence is that the only species on Earth capable of reason, complex-problem solving, long-term planning and consciousness understands so little about the organ that makes it all possible—the brain. — Amanda Bower, Time, 20 Aug. 2001 The great irony of anthracite is that, tough as it is to light, once you get it lit it's nearly impossible to put out. — Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods, 1999 And the irony is obvious: those who once had been the victims of separatism, who had sacrificed so dearly to overcome their being at the margins, would later create an ethos of their own separatism. — Shelby Steele, Harper's, July 1992 a writer known for her clever use of irony “What a beautiful view,” he said, his voice dripping with irony, as he looked out the window at the alley. She described her vacation with heavy irony as “an educational experience.” It was a tragic irony that he made himself sick by worrying so much about his health. That's just one of life's little ironies. The irony of the situation was apparent to everyone. He has a strong sense of irony.

Recent Examples on the Web

Have you ever been struck by the irony of exhibiting musical instruments — renowned for their singular sounds — in glass display cases? — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "How to Hear the Met’s Historic Instruments’ Singular Sounds," 15 June 2018 The British remain broadly supportive of the monarchy, albeit with a sense of mild irony about the pomp and pageantry that accompanies it, though most have deep respect for Queen Elizabeth after her 66 years of service as head of state. — Anchorage Daily News, "In a union of tradition and modernity, Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry," 19 May 2018 Perhaps all this exposition stems from the good journalist's determination to provide context, but the whole enterprise labors under a heavy burden of explainism, accentuated by the novel's flat, irony-free prose. — The Washington Post, latimes.com, "Jake Tapper's thrilling, uneven McCarthy-era Washington drama, 'The Hellfire Club'," 4 May 2018 Perhaps all this exposition stems from the good journalist's determination to provide context, but the whole enterprise labors under a heavy burden of explainism, accentuated by the novel's flat, irony-free prose. — Ron Charles, chicagotribune.com, "Jake Tapper's new thriller blows the lid off corruption in Washington," 24 Apr. 2018 In fact, the two show-stopping numbers are irony-free ballads sung by the mother, Dorinda Toner, and the daughter, Liz Ghiz. — Lee Williams, OregonLive.com, "'Trail to Oregon' gleefully rejects historical accuracy (review)," 23 Apr. 2018 As a new incarnation of Lara Croft—an earnest successor to the bemuscled and irony-free Angelina Jolie —she endures terrible punishment while vanquishing vile men in brutal combat. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Tomb Raider’ Review: Buried by Absurdity," 15 Mar. 2018 The show was full of irony about fashion and dance. — Vogue, "The ’80s Maverick Jean-Paul Goude Discusses His Impact on Fashion Then and Now," 1 Mar. 2018 So much coming out of the fashion industry today is wrapped in twenty different layers of irony: who can make the dumbest-looking sneaker legitimately cool, or make the logo of a shipping brand a legit fashion item first? — Cam Wolf, GQ, "Kanye and Virgil Abloh Hugging After the Louis Vuitton Show Makes Us Feel Again," 21 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'irony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.