Noun: irony I-ru-nee
- Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs
"the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated"
- Witty language used to convey insults or scorn, esp. saying one thing but implying the opposite
"irony is wasted on the stupid";
- sarcasm, satire, caustic remark
- A trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs
"The fire station burning down is an example of situational irony"
Derived forms: ironies
See also: sarcastic, sarky [Brit, informal], unsarcastic
Type of: drollness, figure, figure of speech, humor [US], humour [Brit, Cdn], image, incongruity, incongruousness, trope, wit, witticism, wittiness
Encyclopedia: Irony