SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
ironic
adjective
Expressing a meaning different from the literal words, or involving a striking contrast with expectation.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Contrasting with expectation
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIronical is the closest alternate form. Wry, sardonic, and dry describe tones that may carry verbal irony; situational irony involves a meaningful contrast with expectation.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See ironic in use
Her complaint about wordiness was ironic because it filled six pages.
The next draft used hyperbole when Nia wrote that the final drumbeat could have shaken every window in the city. Her line about the hour-long queue carried sarcasm: she called the unexplained wait a glorious achievement in hospitality. That praise was ironic because the intended judgment differed sharply from the approving words.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license