Irony
Burned-down fire stations, flooded forecaster weddings, and perfectly parked cars in the wrong slot all deliver this noun: expectation flipped on its head.
Learn This WordMeaning
Outcome opposite to expected.
Memory trick
IRONY is the universe’s eironeia: pretending to agree, then flipping the result.
Examples
The delay was pure irony.
The fire station burned down while the crew was at a fire safety parade: peak irony.
She failed the driving test by parking too perfectly inside the wrong slot.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Greek eironeia "feigned ignorance," Socrates’ trick of playing dumb to expose truth. Expectation flipped on its head.
Usage Notes
Reserve for genuine reversals: the lifeguard drowning, the traffic expert stuck in a jam. Mere coincidence or bad luck is not irony.
Real-life contexts
Use precisely: "The irony is that the gym shut for fitness day."
Use in essays: "Life’s irony funds all satire."
Use in reviews: "The film’s irony lands in the last scene."
Common Mistakes
Irony is opposite outcome, not coincidence or sarcasm; rain on your wedding is unfortunate, a weather forecaster’s wedding flooded is irony. Adjective ironic, adverb ironically.
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Start LearningQuick Facts
Part of Speech
noun
Difficulty
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