ironic

adjective

iron·​ic ˌī-ˈrä-nik 

 also  i-ˈrä-

variants or less commonly ironical

ˌī-ˈrä-ni-kəl 

 also  i-ˈrä-

1

: relating to, containing, or constituting irony

an ironic remark

an ironic coincidence

2

: given to irony

an ironic sense of humor

ironicalness

ˌī-ˈrä-ni-kəl-nəs 

 also  i-ˈrä-

noun

Did you know?

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 words irony and ironic as they are used in cases lacking a striking reversal, such as “Isn’t it ironic that you called just as I was planning to call you?,” 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.

Choose the Right Synonym for ironic

sarcastic, satiric, ironic, sardonic mean marked by bitterness and a power or will to cut or sting.

sarcastic implies an intentional inflicting of pain by deriding, taunting, or ridiculing.

a critic known for his sarcastic remarks

satiric implies that the intent of the ridiculing is censure and reprobation.

a satiric look at contemporary society

ironic implies an attempt to be amusing or provocative by saying usually the opposite of what is meant.

made the ironic observation that the government could always be trusted

sardonic implies scorn, mockery, or derision that is manifested by either verbal or facial expression.

surveyed the scene with a sardonic smile

Examples of ironic in a Sentence

She has an ironic sense of humor.

It's ironic that computers break down so often, since they're meant to save people time.

It is ironic that the robber's car crashed into a police station.

Recent Examples on the Web

Eventually, Stewart managed to rebuild herself as a sort of ironic celebrity. —Constance Grady, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024

Which is ironic since the drama is based on a novel by Kong Ji-Young and Hitonari Tsuji. —Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Music supervisor Jim Black papers the soundtrack with the kinds of pre-rock kitsch (by Guy Lombardo, Paul Whiteman, Frankie Laine, Doris Day, Henry Mancini et al.) that lend both nostalgic bounce and a winking ironic gloss to proceedings. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024

But the ironic effect of telling a story so comprehensively — from so many starting points and from so many points of view — is that its themes can be hard to follow. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ironic

adjective

iron·​ic ˈī-ˈrän-ik 

variants also ironical

-i-kəl 

: relating to, containing, or being irony

an ironic turn of events

an ironic laugh

ironically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb