Irony
noun
When the result of a situation is different or the opposite from what was expected.
The irony is that the new tax law was meant to save money, but it ended up costing the government even more.
noun
A way of expressing one's thoughts where the literal meaning is the opposite of what the person intends to convey, often in a humorous or biting manner.
She said, 'What lovely weather' with heavy irony, as the rain poured down
Usage tips
Colloquial
noun
A literary technique, used to create a contrast or discrepancy between what's expected and what actually happens in the story.
The irony in the novel is that the hero was trying to save the villager, but ends up being the reason for their destruction.
Usage tips
Literary
noun
When the result of a situation is different or the opposite from what was expected.
The irony is that the new tax law was meant to save money, but it ended up costing the government even more.
noun
A way of expressing one's thoughts where the literal meaning is the opposite of what the person intends to convey, often in a humorous or biting manner.
She said, 'What lovely weather' with heavy irony, as the rain poured down
Usage tips
Colloquial
noun
A literary technique, used to create a contrast or discrepancy between what's expected and what actually happens in the story.
The irony in the novel is that the hero was trying to save the villager, but ends up being the reason for their destruction.
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Outcome
Irony often involves an outcome that's surprising compared with what was planned or intended.
In an ironic twist, the fire station burned down.
Pro Tip 2/3Real World Events
Irony can be common in everyday situations, not only literature or drama.
It's ironic that a traffic jam formed on the road touted as a solution to congestion.
Pro Tip 3/3Observational Skills
Identifying irony requires recognizing a deviation between expectations and reality.
Ironically, the dog trainer's pet was the most unruly one in the class.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Outcome
Irony often involves an outcome that's surprising compared with what was planned or intended.
In an ironic twist, the fire station burned down.
Pro Tip 2/3Real World Events
Irony can be common in everyday situations, not only literature or drama.
It's ironic that a traffic jam formed on the road touted as a solution to congestion.
Pro Tip 3/3Observational Skills
Identifying irony requires recognizing a deviation between expectations and reality.
Ironically, the dog trainer's pet was the most unruly one in the class.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Outcome
Irony often involves an outcome that's surprising compared with what was planned or intended.
In an ironic twist, the fire station burned down.
Pro Tip 2/3Real World Events
Irony can be common in everyday situations, not only literature or drama.
It's ironic that a traffic jam formed on the road touted as a solution to congestion.
Pro Tip 3/3Observational Skills
Identifying irony requires recognizing a deviation between expectations and reality.
Ironically, the dog trainer's pet was the most unruly one in the class.
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Video examples
How to gain control of...
We all had to just take a moment together and savor that irony. The second thing they assume is that I have lots of tips and tricks for saving bits of time here and there. Sometimes I'll hear from magazines that are doing a story along these lines, generally on how to help their readers find an extra hour in the day. And the idea is that we'll shave bits of time off everyday activities,
Video examples
In the market for...
money and awareness from a host of leaders including their own high-profile supporters so I've started working with some very busy leaders working with some busy leaders and I finally the projects in bill irony how difficult it is for leaders to really take the time to think about time but the heart is to capture
Video examples
Why is it so hard to...
Others can affect entire nations, such as cycles of corrupt government or climate change. But the cruel irony of welfare traps in particular is that they stem from the very policies designed to battle poverty. Most societies throughout history employed some strategies to help people in poverty meet basic needs.
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
Verbal irony is when someone says something, but truly means the opposite. Dramatic irony, though, is what we will be looking at right now. Dramatic irony is when the audience seems to know more about an event, a situation, or a conversation than the characters in the movie, on the show, or in the book do.
Video examples
What is verbal irony? -...
but he has said the opposite. This is verbal irony when the speaker says the opposite of what he means. I know what you're thinking. Isn't this sarcasm, isn't the speaker being sarcastic? Yes. When a speaker says the opposite of what he means,
Video examples
Why we have too few...
they also have more -- how shall I say this on this stage? They know each other more in the biblical sense as well. Message number Don't leave before you leave. I think there's a really deep irony to the fact that actions women are taking --
Video examples
What makes something...
It's not the absurdity of bureaucracy alone, but the irony of the character's circular reasoning in reaction to it that is emblematic of Kafka's writing. His tragicomic stories act as a form of mythology for the modern industrial age,
Video examples
Killer Cuckoo Catfish PIPE...
brood they destroyed is the only mother they'll ever know more irony the cichlid mom fails to sense the switch she treats the catfish as if they were her own scooping them up to protect them at the
Video examples
Army Ants Rampage...
sweeping across the forest floor. To find prey, the ants must first touch it. The irony is that this, the most successful hide-and-seek player in the forest, is almost completely blind.
Video examples
Situational irony: The...
That is irony. So while the cake dropper might not be ironic, there are all kinds of situations in life that are. Go out, and find those true examples of irony.
Video examples
How to gain control of...
We all had to just take a moment together and savor that irony. The second thing they assume is that I have lots of tips and tricks for saving bits of time here and there. Sometimes I'll hear from magazines that are doing a story along these lines, generally on how to help their readers find an extra hour in the day. And the idea is that we'll shave bits of time off everyday activities,
Video examples
In the market for...
money and awareness from a host of leaders including their own high-profile supporters so I've started working with some very busy leaders working with some busy leaders and I finally the projects in bill irony how difficult it is for leaders to really take the time to think about time but the heart is to capture
Video examples
Why is it so hard to...
Others can affect entire nations, such as cycles of corrupt government or climate change. But the cruel irony of welfare traps in particular is that they stem from the very policies designed to battle poverty. Most societies throughout history employed some strategies to help people in poverty meet basic needs.
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
Verbal irony is when someone says something, but truly means the opposite. Dramatic irony, though, is what we will be looking at right now. Dramatic irony is when the audience seems to know more about an event, a situation, or a conversation than the characters in the movie, on the show, or in the book do.
Video examples
What is verbal irony? -...
but he has said the opposite. This is verbal irony when the speaker says the opposite of what he means. I know what you're thinking. Isn't this sarcasm, isn't the speaker being sarcastic? Yes. When a speaker says the opposite of what he means,
Video examples
Why we have too few...
they also have more -- how shall I say this on this stage? They know each other more in the biblical sense as well. Message number Don't leave before you leave. I think there's a really deep irony to the fact that actions women are taking --
Video examples
What makes something...
It's not the absurdity of bureaucracy alone, but the irony of the character's circular reasoning in reaction to it that is emblematic of Kafka's writing. His tragicomic stories act as a form of mythology for the modern industrial age,
Video examples
Killer Cuckoo Catfish PIPE...
brood they destroyed is the only mother they'll ever know more irony the cichlid mom fails to sense the switch she treats the catfish as if they were her own scooping them up to protect them at the
Video examples
Army Ants Rampage...
sweeping across the forest floor. To find prey, the ants must first touch it. The irony is that this, the most successful hide-and-seek player in the forest, is almost completely blind.
Video examples
Situational irony: The...
That is irony. So while the cake dropper might not be ironic, there are all kinds of situations in life that are. Go out, and find those true examples of irony.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Juliette Lewis
American Actress
In acting, you have a writer, a director, a character - you're working through being another person - and the irony I always tell people is when I acted early on as a teenager, it actually kept me out of trouble.
Quote examples
Jonathan Pryce
Welsh Actor
I live a very ordinary life. The rare awards ceremonies I go to are quite fun, because I can enjoy the irony of one minute walking to the tube, and the next being driven along the same stretch of road in a limo.
Quote examples
Ellen Glasgow
American Novelist
A tragic irony of life is that we so often achieve success or financial independence after the chief reason for which we sought it has passed away.
Quote examples
Agnes Repplier
American Writer
Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.
Quote examples
Charlie Chaplin
English Actor
I suppose that's one of the ironies of life doing the wrong thing at the right moment.
Quote examples
Robert A. Heinlein
American Writer
The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Irony regards every simple truth as a challenge.
Quote examples
Serj Tankian
American Musician
Life is that perfect fine line between ironies.
Quote examples
Wes Studi
American Actor
Irony is one of my favorite aspects of life.
Quote examples
Adam West
American Actor
Life is full of ironies and absurdities.
Quote examples
Juliette Lewis
American Actress
In acting, you have a writer, a director, a character - you're working through being another person - and the irony I always tell people is when I acted early on as a teenager, it actually kept me out of trouble.
Quote examples
Jonathan Pryce
Welsh Actor
I live a very ordinary life. The rare awards ceremonies I go to are quite fun, because I can enjoy the irony of one minute walking to the tube, and the next being driven along the same stretch of road in a limo.
Quote examples
Ellen Glasgow
American Novelist
A tragic irony of life is that we so often achieve success or financial independence after the chief reason for which we sought it has passed away.
Quote examples
Agnes Repplier
American Writer
Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.
Quote examples
Charlie Chaplin
English Actor
I suppose that's one of the ironies of life doing the wrong thing at the right moment.
Quote examples
Robert A. Heinlein
American Writer
The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Irony regards every simple truth as a challenge.
Quote examples
Serj Tankian
American Musician
Life is that perfect fine line between ironies.
Quote examples
Wes Studi
American Actor
Irony is one of my favorite aspects of life.
Quote examples
Adam West
American Actor
Life is full of ironies and absurdities.
Example 1 of 10
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