ironic

adjective

iron·ic | \ ˌī-ˈrä-nik also i-ˈrä-

variants: or less commonly ironical \ ˌī-ˈrä-ni-kəl also i-ˈrä-

Definition of ironic

1 : relating to, containing, or constituting irony an ironic remark an ironic coincidence

2 : given to irony an ironic sense of humor

Other Words from ironic Choose the Right Synonym What's irony? More Example Sentences Learn More about ironic

Keep scrolling for more

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

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 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

That Johnson's partisan gamesmanship is now in the hands of the Queen is ironic given her herculean efforts to stay out of U.K. politics. — Katherine Dunn, Fortune, "How Boris Johnson Just Put the Queen in an Unprecedented Brexit Bind," 28 Aug. 2019 So what happened to one of his biggest online supporters this summer is ironic. — The Economist, "Many Egyptians miss their deposed president, Hosni Mubarak," 22 Aug. 2019 Apparently, there’s no exception to be made for males who don’t deserve respect, which strikes me as ironic. — Burbank Leader, "A Word, Please: New leader of Britain’s House of Commons imposes unusual grammar rules," 22 Aug. 2019 What made the moment ironic was that just days earlier, Trump himself was ridiculed by a Democratic presidential opponent for being a lumpy wreck of a commander-in-chief. — Patrick May, The Mercury News, "On the political trail, a new hot-button issue emerges: Fat-shaming," 16 Aug. 2019 That’s another ironic double-entendre: Luxury is meant to make a person feel extraordinary and special. — Wendy Lu, Quartz, "Traveling while disabled is four times more expensive," 8 Aug. 2019 But one ironic effect of there being more mass shootings lately is scientists now have enough data to start to see trends emerging. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "The Looser a State's Gun Laws, the More Mass Shootings It Has," 6 Aug. 2019 Visually, much ironic use is made of the bright Costa Rican light and strong shadows that might suggest an altogether sunnier kind of movie. — Jonathan Holland, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Awakening of the Ants' ('El Despertar de la Hormigas'): Film Review," 23 July 2019 Illogical, impractical, meme-worthy—this micro bag sums up the ironic allure of late 2010s fashion. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "We’ve Gotta Have It: The 17 Items that Defined Fashion in the 2010s," 18 July 2019

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

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for ironic

ironic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of ironic

: using words that mean the opposite of what you really think especially in order to be funny

: strange or funny because something (such as a situation) is different from what you expected

See the full definition for ironic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ironic

adjective

iron·ic | \ ī-ˈrä-nik

variants: also ironical \ -ni-kəl \

Kids Definition of ironic

: relating to, containing, or showing irony It was ironic that the robber's car crashed into the police station.

Keep scrolling for more

ironic

Definition of ironic

Other Words from ironic

Choose the Right Synonym for ironic

What's irony?

Examples of ironic in a Sentence

First Known Use of ironic

English Language Learners Definition of ironic

Kids Definition of ironic

ironic

Definition of ironic

Other Words from ironic

Choose the Right Synonym for ironic

What's irony?

Examples of ironic in a Sentence

First Known Use of ironic

English Language Learners Definition of ironic

Kids Definition of ironic

WORD OF THE DAY

eloquent