Ironic
/aɪˈrɒnɪk/
Definitions
Happening in the opposite way to what is expected, and typically causing wry amusement because of this.
/aɪˈrɒnɪk/
Expressing or characterized by irony.
It was ironic that the politician known for his honesty was caught lying.
💡 Simply: Ironic is when something happens in a way that's the opposite of what you'd think would happen, like a surprise party being a total disaster! It's often funny, but in a way that makes you think.
👶 For kids: When something happens that's the opposite of what you expect, it's ironic. Like if a superhero is scared of spiders!
More Examples
The situation was filled with ironic twists.
She found the situation to be darkly ironic.
How It's Used
"The novel uses dramatic irony, where the audience knows more than the characters."
"It's ironic that the fire station burned down."
Idioms & expressions
situational irony
Irony arising from situations.
"The fire station burning down is a clear example of situational irony."
verbal irony
When a person says or writes one thing but means the opposite.
"When it's pouring rain, and someone says, 'What a beautiful day!', that's verbal irony."
From Greek eirōneia, meaning 'feigned ignorance' or 'dissimulation'. It evolved in the 16th century in English, and has roots in the Greek comedic character eirōn, who pretended to be ignorant to expose the foolishness of others.
The concept of irony has existed for centuries, from ancient Greek theater. The word itself came into common use in English during the 16th century.
Memory tip
Think of a situation that's the opposite of what you'd expect, like a fire station burning down. That's ironic.