Dictionary of English - ironic

In drama, irony is the dramatic effect produced when the audience knows more than the characters in the play. In everyday use, an ironic remark is one, often humorous, that means the opposite of what is said, particularly if it appears to be sincere: You're every bit as good as your brother is ironic if the speaker thinks the listener's brother is no good at all. Ironic is often used loosely to mean paradoxical, the opposite of what might be expected: Ironically, the poorest people are often the most generous. Although this usage is fairly well established, some people dislike it. Consider whether you really need anything to introduce the statement. If you do, paradoxically, strangely, oddly enough etc can be used. Avoid using ironic to mean simply odd, unexpected, out of the ordinary.

Find a difficult word here. Click on a letter to find the word:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z