ironic

i·ron·ic  (-rnk) also i·ron·i·cal (-rn-kl)

adj.

1. Characterized by or constituting irony.

2. Given to the use of irony. See Synonyms at sarcastic.

3. Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended: madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker.

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i·roni·cal·ly adv.

i·roni·cal·ness n.

Usage Note: The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes used of events and circumstances that might better be described as simply "coincidental" or "improbable," in that they suggest no particular lessons about human vanity or folly. Thus 78 percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use of ironically in the sentence In 1969 Susie moved from Ithaca to California where she met her husband-to-be, who, ironically, also came from upstate New York. Some Panelists noted that this particular usage might be acceptable if Susie had in fact moved to California in order to find a husband, in which case the story could be taken as exemplifying the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us. By contrast, 73 percent accepted the sentence Ironically, even as the government was fulminating against American policy, American jeans and videocassettes were the hottest items in the stalls of the market, where the incongruity can be seen as an example of human inconsistency.

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ironic or ironical

Adjective

of, characterized by, or using irony

ironically adv

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	ironic - humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit" wry, dry, ironical humorous, humourous - full of or characterized by humor; "humorous stories"; "humorous cartoons"; "in a humorous vein"
	2.	ironic - characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is; "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker"; "it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely" ironical incongruous - lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness; "a plan incongruous with reason"; "incongruous behavior"; "a joke that was incongruous with polite conversation"

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ironic or ironical

adjective 1. sarcastic, dry, sharp, acid, bitter, stinging, mocking, sneering, scoffing, wry, scathing, satirical, tongue-in-cheek, sardonic, caustic, double-edged, acerbic, trenchant, mordant, mordacious

adjective 2. paradoxical, absurd, contradictory, puzzling, baffling, ambiguous, inconsistent, confounding, enigmatic, illogical, incongruous

Translations

ironic [aɪˈrɔnɪk], ironical [aɪˈrɔnɪkl] adj → ironique

ironic [aɪˈrɔnɪk], ironical [aɪˈrɔnɪkl] adj → ironisch;

(situation) → paradox, witzig

ironic [aɪˈrɔnɪk], ironical [aɪˈrɔnɪkl] adj → ironico/a