irony
Translation
irony, sarcasm
Examples
The irony is that he, a fire chief, is afraid of matches.
The irony is that he, a fire chief, is afraid of matches.
She said, 'What a beautiful day!' with heavy irony.
She said, 'What a beautiful day!' with heavy irony.
Grammar Patterns
((the irony of sth.)) the quality of being ironic about a situation The irony of the situation was not lost on her.
((with irony)) in an ironic manner He noted with irony that the winner was a known cheater.
Similar Words
Synonyms: sarcasm, satire, paradox
Etymology
From Greek 'eirōneia', meaning 'feigned ignorance'.
Memory Tips
Irony is the contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. Think of a traffic cop getting a parking ticket.