Word of the day · 10 July 2026
ironic
/aɪˈrɒnɪk/
adjective
Marked by a contrast between expectation and reality, or by saying the opposite of what you mean for effect.
In a sentence
- It was ironic that the fire drill delayed the safety inspection.
- His ironic praise made the room go quiet.
- She left a note that sounded kind only if you missed the ironic edge.
In an image
Origin
From Greek eirōneia (dissimulation, feigned ignorance), via Latin and French into English irony, then ironic.
History
Classical rhetoric used irony for speech that masks meaning. Later critics widened ironic to situations where fate or coincidence undercuts expectation. Everyday talk sometimes stretches it to mean merely odd or inconvenient, which frustrates careful readers. The core still involves a meaningful mismatch, not only a mild surprise.
Nearby words
sarcastic · paradoxical · incongruous
When outcomes twist against what seemed likely, or when tone flips the literal sense.