irony

irony — noun

1. An outcome that sharply contradicts what was expected or intended, often in a st

1.nounB2
Definition

An outcome that sharply contradicts what was expected or intended, often in a strangely fitting or unfair way — for example, a security company whose own office is burgled.

Example

Takeshi saw the irony of his punctuality speech being delayed by a flat tyre.

pattern: the irony of [noun] + being + past participle

There was a bitter irony in the fire station Charlotte wrote about in her column having burned down.

pattern: There + be + irony in [noun phrase] + -ing

Common collocations
  • bitter irony
  • dramatic irony
  • cruel irony
  • twist of fate
Synonyms
  • contradiction

    a direct logical opposition between statements; stronger and less about fate than irony

  • incongruity

    broader — anything that does not fit together, not necessarily expectation-vs-reality

  • paradox

    a self-contradictory statement that may reveal a truth; less about unexpected outcomes and more about logical tension

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the irony (of something) is that...

there is irony in...

it is ironic that...

Usage Note

Often introduced by the structure 'the irony of [something] is that...' or 'there is irony in...'. Learners commonly confuse this sense with mere coincidence or bad luck — irony requires a meaningful contrast between intention or expectation and the actual outcome.

Common Mistakes

It was an irony that he lost his wallet at the bank.
There was a certain irony in his losing his wallet at the bank.
Irony is uncountable; use 'there is irony in...' or 'it is ironic that...' rather than 'an irony'.
I missed the bus — what an irony!
I missed the bus
what a coincidence!' — Missing a bus is unfortunate but not ironic, because there is no meaningful contrast between expectation and outcome.

2. expressing one thing while meaning the exact opposite, typically as humour or cr

2.nounB2
Definition

expressing one thing while meaning the exact opposite, typically as humour or criticism — for example, calling a very badly behaved dog 'a perfect angel'.

Example

When Zola called the terrible film 'a masterpiece', her friends recognised her irony immediately.

verbal irony signalled by quotation marks

Maeve's voice was dripping with irony as she thanked the waiter for the burnt steak.

collocation: dripping with irony

Common collocations
  • heavy irony
  • gentle irony
  • verbal irony
  • ironic tone
  • ironic comment
Synonyms
  • sarcasm

    sharper and intended to hurt or mock; irony can be gentle

  • wit

    broader — clever or humorous expression, not necessarily involving opposite meaning

  • satire

    a larger work or genre that criticises through humour; not a single remark

Antonyms
  • sincerity

    saying what you genuinely mean without double meaning

  • literalness

    using words in their exact sense without implied opposite meaning

Grammar Patterns

say something with irony

in [someone's] voice/tone

dripping with irony

Usage Note

Relies on tone of voice, context, or quotation marks to signal the opposite meaning. Not the same as sarcasm — sarcasm deliberately aims to hurt or mock, whereas verbal irony can be gentle or playful.

Common Mistakes

I hate this weather — what irony!
I hate this weather
what a coincidence!' — Saying you hate rainy weather when it is actually raining is not irony; it is simply stating your feelings.
His sarcasm was very funny.' (when the speaker means verbal irony)
His irony was very funny.
Sarcasm has a sharper, hurtful edge; irony can be humorous without intending to wound.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Irony describes a meaningful contrast between expectation and outcome — the thing that happens is the opposite of what you expected, and that contrast carries significance. Contradiction is a direct logical opposition between two statements or ideas, without any element of fate or surprise. Incongruity is broader: it simply means things do not fit together, but it lacks the expectation-vs-reality structure specific to irony. Paradox presents a self-contradictory statement that may contain a hidden truth — it is about logic, not about unexpected events. Coincidence is the most common confusion: if you run into a friend at the airport, that is a coincidence, not irony, because there is no meaningful contrast between what you expected and what happened.

contradiction ↗incongruityparadox ↗coincidence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dripping with irony
  • lost on no one
  • a touch of irony

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

From Greek 'eirōneia' (pretended ignorance or dissembling), via Latin 'ironia' and French 'ironie'. The term originally described the rhetorical tactic used by Socrates — asking questions while feigning ignorance. The modern sense of unexpected situational outcomes developed in the 18th–19th centuries.