ironic
Americanadjective
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using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning; containing or exemplifying irony.
an ironic novel; an ironic remark.
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of, relating to, or tending to use irony or mockery; ironical.
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coincidental; unexpected.
It was ironic that I was seated next to my ex-husband at the dinner.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ironic
First recorded in 1620–30; from Late Latin īrōnicus, from Greek eirōnikós “dissembling, insincere;” see irony 1, -ic
Explanation
If something is ironic it's unexpected, often in an amusing way. If you're the world chess champion, it would be pretty ironic if you lost a match to someone who just learned to play yesterday. Ironic is the adjective for the noun irony. In contemporary speech, when we call something ironic, we often mean sarcastic. If you spill coffee all over drawings you've been working on all morning, you might ironically tell your coworker, "I've done something wonderful!" An ironic outcome is the opposite of what's intended. Having someone splash mud on you is always annoying, but it would be ironic if they had splashed you because they were running up to wipe dirt off you.
Vocabulary lists containing ironic
The Giver
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The Catcher in the Rye
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This Week in Words: October 28 - November 2, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It frightens me how painfully ironic it feels to cover a film about my industry’s demise when it was “The Devil Wears Prada” that pointed me here in the first place.
From Salon • May 1, 2026
Trump meanwhile admitted that it was "ironic" to be giving such a pomp-filled welcome to a British monarch in the 250th anniversary of US independence from the British crown.
From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026
It’s ironic that many A.I. overlords are so obsessed with taste lately, lurking at Prada shows and Vanity Fair parties.
From Slate • Apr. 23, 2026
Putting their names and faces on clothing is a kitschy, ironic way of showing they are in on the joke, said Niki Norton, founder of Southern Merch and Marketing, a Louisiana consulting firm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Those lively feathers don’t really match her personality, but like Tata Boanda in his ladies’-wear sweater, she seems unaware that her outfit is ironic.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
