Definitions
01saying the opposite
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a way of speaking where you say one thing but mean the opposite, often to be funny or show a point.
n. the use of words to express something other than—and especially the opposite of—the literal meaning. Often used as a rhetorical device to highlight absurdity.
日本語:皮肉※
“"What a beautiful day," she said with irony as the rain poured down.”
“The critic noted the heavy irony in the politician's speech, where he praised transparency while refusing to release his own financial records.”
Pitfall
He said with irony that he loved the rain.
He said with heavy irony that he loved the rain.
In English, we often use adjectives like 'heavy', 'bitter', or 'gentle' to describe the tone of irony being used.
Antonyms
02strange coincidence
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that is the opposite of what you expected.
n. situational irony involving a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result.
日本語:皮肉※
“The irony of the situation was that the computer expert's own laptop broke.”
“There is a profound irony in the fact that the most famous book on privacy was written by a man who shared every detail of his life online.”
Pitfall
The irony is that I forgot my keys.
The misfortune is that I forgot my keys.
Do not use 'irony' for simple bad luck. Irony requires a poetic or meaningful contradiction, like a fire station burning down.
Synonyms
03theatre/storytelling
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Theater Academic
n. when the audience watching a play or movie knows something important that the characters do not know.
n. dramatic irony; a literary technique by which the full significance of a character's words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.
“In the play, the irony is that we know the hero is walking into a trap, but he thinks he is safe.”
“The director employs dramatic irony to build tension, allowing the audience to witness the villain's preparations while the protagonist remains blissfully unaware of the impending betrayal.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “irony” in context.
Verb
01. appreciate the irony
“I'm sure you can appreciate the irony of a billionaire complaining about the price of bread.”
verb + noun
02. miss the irony
“She seemed to completely miss the irony of her statement while she was lecturing us on humility.”
verb + noun
03. note the irony
“Historians often note the irony that the treaty intended to end all wars actually led to a second one.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. bitter irony
“It was a bitter irony that the safety inspector's own house burned down due to faulty wiring.”
adj + noun
05. dramatic irony
“The audience felt a sense of dramatic irony, knowing the hero was walking into a trap.”
adj + noun
06. heavy irony
“He spoke with heavy irony, making it clear he didn't believe a word of their excuses.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. sense of irony
“You need a keen sense of irony to survive the absurdities of modern corporate life.”
noun + of + noun
08. touch of irony
“There was a touch of irony in his voice when he congratulated his rival on the 'well-deserved' win.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
09. without a trace of irony
“He claimed to be a minimalist while standing in his mansion, without a trace of irony.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“There was no escaping the irony that the best player on the splendid opening-day pitch was the only new face in Brentford’s starting XI.” “Also missing is any clear acknowledgment of Singer’s fear for the horrors in store for Antonapoulos, and the dramatic irony created by Antonapoulos’ own seeming obliviousness to how his life is being upended.” Etymology
First attested in 1502. From Middle French ironie, from Old French, from Latin īrōnīa, from Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία (eirōneía, “irony, pretext”), from εἴρων (eírōn, “one who feigns ignorance”).
From Middle English hyrony, yreny, yrony, yrunny, equivalent to iron + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
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englishreference.com/q/irony
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