situational irony

American  

[sich-oo-ey-shuh-nl ahy-ruh-nee, ahyer-] / ˈsɪtʃ uˌeɪ ʃə nl ˈaɪ rə ni, ˈaɪər- /

noun

1. irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

---

Etymology

Origin of situational irony

First recorded in 1960–65

Compare meaning

How does situational-irony compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• situational irony vs. dramatic irony

Example Sentences

“And the situational irony of the ‘Coroner to the Stars’ attending his own Hollywood premiere, complete with a red carpet, is not lost on me.”

From Los Angeles Times

Much like a Deadpool movie, the situational irony didn’t end there for the couple either.

From Fox News

The initial reporting by Iowa media, largely sourced from Guthrie county authorities, had all the low-stakes scandal and situational irony to make a trending news story on social media.

From The Guardian

English teachers, language mavens, and pedants of all stripes were quick to point out that Morissette's examples didn't match the dictionary definition of situational irony.

From Salon

The first episode uses all this suburban intrigue deftly, finding humor out of the situational irony while making clear The Americans is no farce.

From Time