What does irony mean?
Irony describes a meaningful mismatch between appearance and reality, expectation and outcome, or literal words and intended meaning. It often appears when events unfold in precisely the opposite way from what was anticipated, as when the person least qualified to succeed is the one who wins. A speaker may also use irony by saying one thing while meaning another, though not every such mismatch is intentionally deceptive. In literature, dramatic irony gives the audience knowledge that a character lacks, creating tension when the character acts in ignorance of the truth. The word is therefore broader than sarcasm, which usually involves a mocking or critical tone. Irony is useful for describing both the structure of a situation and the expressive possibilities of language, especially when reality seems to have produced a striking contradiction.
nounIrony is a contrast or discrepancy between what is said or expected and what is meant or actually happens, especially when the result is the opposite of what was anticipated. It can also refer to the use of words or situations in which the intended meaning differs from the literal expression.
- A contrast between what is said and what is meant, especially when words convey the opposite of their literal meaning.
- An event or situation whose outcome is contrary to what was expected or intended.
- The literary technique in which the audience knows something that a character does not, making the character’s actions or expectations appear ironically misguided.
- The expression of knowledge or understanding through deliberate pretense of ignorance, especially in the tradition associated with Socrates.
"It was pure irony that the strictest driver in the group was the one who forgot to bring a map."
"Her dry reply was full of irony, making clear that she did not agree in the slightest."
"The play relies on dramatic irony: the audience knows that the character has mistaken the stranger for an ally."
The word is commonly uncountable, but the plural ironies is used for distinct examples or instances of irony.
"The novel is admired for the subtle ironies in the relationship between its two central characters."
Sometimes the cruelest joke is simply life arranging the punch line itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does irony come from?
The word comes through French and Latin from ancient Greek eironeia, a term associated with pretending, irony, and saying one thing while concealing another. Its original sense was closer to deliberate misrepresentation or deceptive cleverness than to the modern idea of an unexpected reversal. Over time, English broadened the word to include contrasts between what is expected and what actually occurs, as well as the literary technique now called dramatic irony.
Related word forms
How irony is actually used
Irony is broader than sarcasm and does not necessarily involve mockery, criticism, or deliberate deception. In everyday English, it is often used for an unexpected reversal; in literary analysis, the term may distinguish verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.
Easily confused with irony
Irony may involve an unintended reversal or contrast, whereas sarcasm usually means intentionally saying the opposite of what is meant, often to mock or ridicule.