irony

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun irony differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irony are humor, repartee, sarcasm, satire, and wit. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," 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

When can humor be used instead of irony?

While the synonyms humor and irony are close in meaning, 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

When is it sensible to use repartee instead of irony?

The words repartee and irony are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

Where would sarcasm be a reasonable alternative to irony?

The meanings of sarcasm and irony largely overlap; however, sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When is satire a more appropriate choice than irony?

The synonyms satire and irony are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When could wit be used to replace irony?

While in some cases nearly identical to irony, wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of irony But irony has seized the pen as the script of this series unfolds. Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 3 May 2025 The irony of her diagnosis wasn’t lost on me: stomach cancer for a young woman who saw food as an art form, a joy, a ritual. Carissa Talmage, People.com, 2 May 2025 The irony, of course, was that Reagan, in fact, was deeply spiritual—the first (and maybe the last) fundamentalist to serve as president. Richard D. Mahoney, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2025 The great irony is that the Republicans’ effort to target waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program will benefit the needy. Stewart Whitson, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irony
Noun
  • Listen for what’s unsaid, name the contradictions and hold a space where growth actually takes root.
    Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • The arrival of white South Africans in the U.S. as refugees highlights the contradictions of Trump’s immigration policies, Hamed Aleaziz and Michael Crowley write.
    Eric Lipton, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • But the amusement doesn’t stop inside Hidden Garden.
    Katie Lara, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • When the flamboyant Henry Paget arrives in 1890s North Wales from France to claim his aristocratic inheritance, his theatrical flair and defiant eccentricities send shockwaves through the upper-class elite, much to the amusement of the local townspeople.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • In the early nineties, Pavement looked like a funny paradox, a crew of cherubs in collared shirts backed by Young, a long-haired, often shirtless showman pounding his drums.
    Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
  • Finally, at the Holistic level, leaders perceive systems in their entirety, integrating opposites, transcending paradox, and innovating by embracing complexity.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • CHiPs was real, Kid Cop Nights is fake, and neither the two-dimensional storytelling of the former nor the hacky absurdity of the latter seem to have much in common with either of the shows referencing them.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025
  • Like sister-in-law Debra, Amy couldn't win with her future in-laws, sparking a bond between the two over the sheer absurdity of the Barones.
    Kate Hogan, People.com, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Kirby’s incongruity is terrifying, so said someone much wiser than me.
    Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • Crumb’s gawky, eccentric persona was first revealed to the wider public in a 1994 documentary made by his friend Terry Zwigoff, which portrays the cartoonist with all of his incongruities.
    Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The vast sculpture was exhibited at White Cube in 2024 and recalls Egon Schiele’s drawing of a nude woman bent over and viewed from behind, creating a dichotomy of vulnerability and longing.
    Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Siena Kelly and Rosy McEwen are both aces as former classmates who cross paths years later in their workplace, raising chewy questions about the lingering effects of schoolyard trauma that challenge the villain-victim dichotomy.
    Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Irony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irony. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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