Pronunciation guide
How to pronounce irony
EYE-ruh-nee - three syllables, stress on the 1st
US/ˈaɪ.ɹə.ni/
aɪɹəni
UK/ˈaɪə.ɹə.ni/
aɪəɹəni
New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.
Common mistake
Not 'eye-ROH-nee' or 'ir-OH-nee'; the stress is up front - 'EYE-ruh-nee'.
What “irony” means
The quality of a statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context.
An outcome that is deliberately or strikingly contrary to what was expected, often with a wry or bitter edge.
In a sentence
- The irony of boasting about honesty was that he had lied to everyone.
- We watched the villain reveal his plan, and the audience felt the irony as the hero seemed oblivious.
Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.