adj
ironic
eye-RON-ihk
adj
1
Involving irony — meaning, or resulting in, the opposite of what was expected or intended.
"It was ironic that the fire station itself burned down."
"He made an ironic comment that only his close friends understood as a joke."
How to Use Ironic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes a situation, or a remark, where the result or meaning is the opposite of what you'd expect.
Common mistake
"Ironic" doesn't just mean "coincidental" or "unlucky" — a plain coincidence isn't automatically ironic unless there's a clash between expectation and reality.
Common pairings
ironic twist
how ironic
ironic tone
Word Forms
more ironic comparative, most ironic superlative
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It was _____ that the fire station itself burned down.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek εἰρωνικός (eirōnikós), via Latin īrōnicus.