irony

noun

Definition of ironynext
as in contradiction
a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what is expected We got a good chuckle seeing their tow truck being towed away, but our friends failed to see the irony.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun irony differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of irony are humor, repartee, sarcasm, satire, and wit. While all these words mean "a mode of expression intended to arouse amusement," irony applies to a manner of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of what is seemingly expressed.

the irony of the title

When can humor be used instead of irony?

While the synonyms humor and irony are close in meaning, humor implies an ability to perceive the ludicrous, the comical, and the absurd in human life and to express these usually without bitterness.

a sense of humor

When is it sensible to use repartee instead of irony?

The words repartee and irony are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, repartee implies the power of answering quickly, pointedly, or wittily.

a dinner guest noted for repartee

Where would sarcasm be a reasonable alternative to irony?

The meanings of sarcasm and irony largely overlap; however, sarcasm applies to expression frequently in the form of irony that is intended to cut or wound.

given to heartless sarcasm

When is satire a more appropriate choice than irony?

The synonyms satire and irony are sometimes interchangeable, but satire applies to writing that exposes or ridicules conduct, doctrines, or institutions either by direct criticism or more often through irony, parody, or caricature.

a satire on the Congress

When could wit be used to replace irony?

While in some cases nearly identical to irony, wit suggests the power to evoke laughter by remarks showing verbal felicity or ingenuity and swift perception especially of the incongruous.

a playful wit

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irony There’s a lot of irony packed into Cameron’s words about nonviolence when this is a guy who murdered someone in cold blood. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025 These results highlight a strange irony: Humans have made the world more stressful for all kinds of animals by, for example, destroying their habitat and damming up rivers. —Benji Jones, Vox, 10 Apr. 2025 And the final irony of it all is the speaker was right in the beginning. —Abc News, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2025 That was just their sense of humor, a dose of online irony poisoning. —Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for irony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irony
  1. contradiction
  2. amusement
  3. paradox
  4. absurdity
  5. incongruity
  6. dichotomy
Noun
  • Below are three key takeaways from this growing contradiction.
    — Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The Immigration and Naturalization Act that is the governing law of the US immigration system includes all sorts of contradictions.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of contradiction
Noun
  • There's a mix of on-the-beach relaxation (pet-friendly!) and off-the-beach amusements, such as go-kart tracks, a handful of mini-golf courses, a number of ice cream shops, and good restaurants.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2025
  • This massive endeavor, which officially opens May 22, is a way for Universal to showcase and monetize its diverse library of franchises and bolster its amusements business.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of amusement
Noun
  • Denisovan paradox Denisovans were first identified in 2010 in a lab using DNA sequences extracted from a tiny fragment of finger bone found in Denisova Cave in Siberia’s Altai Mountains, which is how the group got its name.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This tension, between authority and provocation, is one of a few defining paradoxes of the museum, built into its DNA from the very start.
    — Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of paradox
Noun
  • But the film, like many of her roles, highlights the absurdity of such divisive social dynamics.
    — Jessica Ourisman, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The show pursues this dream to the point of absurdity, holding out hope for Serena’s absolution long past the point when a reasonable observer would have abandoned it.
    — Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of absurdity
Noun
  • In another show, with a lesser writer, such incongruities could be read as character inconsistencies, accidental oversights, mistakes.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2025
  • This is the incongruity that fuels Universal Language, Matthew Rankin’s glorious parody-slash-ode to someone else’s shadows-on-a-wall missives — a gesture of decontextualization that layers one country’s extraordinary visual poetry over another’s extreme blandness.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025
Definition of incongruity
Noun
  • The record will appear on his debut album Order Chaos Order, out June 13, which emerged from a kindred dichotomy.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Oda is a revelatory young acting and vocal talent, commanding the stage inside a masterful performance, the truth of Jade’s personal persona an interesting dichotomy from how the public knows her.
    — David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of dichotomy

Browse Nearby Words

ironstone chinas
irony
irradiate
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Cite this Entry

“Irony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irony. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on irony

Nglish: Translation of irony for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about irony

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