Meaning & use
ironic
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Happening in a way that is the reverse of what you would expect, often in a way that seems oddly fitting or amusing.
Grammar: Often used with it is: it is ironic that something happened.
Patterns
- it is ironic that something
- ironic given something
It was ironic that the fire station burned down.
How ironic that the dentist had the worst teeth in town.
The ironic result was that the shortcut took twice as long.
adjectivebefore a noun
Saying the opposite of what is meant, usually with mild mockery or humor.
Grammar: Describes remarks, tone or smiles: an ironic comment.
She gave an ironic smile when he called the room cozy.
His ironic remark about the 'lovely weather' made us laugh in the rain.
The ironic tone of the review was hard to miss.
Word forms
| comparative | more ironic |
|---|---|
| superlative | most ironic |
Common combinations
- deeply ironic
- It was deeply ironic that the peace talks ended in a quarrel.
- ironic twist
- The story takes an ironic twist in the last chapter.
- ironic comment
- His ironic comment drew a few laughs.
- slightly ironic
- It feels slightly ironic to be late for a class on time management.
- an ironic smile
- She gave him an ironic smile.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sarcastic
- Sarcastic is sharper and aims to wound or mock, while ironic can be gentle or simply describe an unexpected situation.
- paradoxical
- Paradoxical describes something that seems to contradict itself, but ironic involves a contrast with expectation.
- wry
- Wry describes a dry, slightly amused humor, while ironic emphasizes the contrast between words and meaning.
Opposites
Word family
- irony noun
- a contrast between what is expected and what happens, or between words and meaning
- ironically adverb
- in an unexpected or opposite-to-expected way
- ironist noun
- a person who uses irony, especially in writing
- ironize verb
- to treat or speak with irony, rare
Commonly confused: ironic or coincidental? ironic or iron?
ironic vs coincidental
Coincidental describes two events that simply happen together, while ironic needs a contrast with what was expected.
ironic vs iron
Iron is the metal and sounds similar at the start, but ironic has nothing to do with it.
Practice
Which situation is truly ironic?
Choose one answer.
A fire station burning down is the opposite of what we expect from a place that fights fires. The others are merely unlucky or ordinary events.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ironic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.