quote unquote

idiom

Meaning

Emphasizes the following (or sometimes preceding) word or phrase for irony, or marks it as not the normal sense of the term.

Origin

disputed origin

From quote + unquote, a spoken equivalent of air quotes, used to express satire, sarcasm, irony or euphemism, analogous to scare quotes in print.

Examples

SIMPLE

He is a quote unquote expert, but he knows nothing.

CONTEXTUAL

My boss calls this a mandatory meeting, but it is quote unquote optional for everyone.

COMPLEX

The politician promised a quote unquote transparent process, yet the public remains excluded from every major decision.

Anchors to