adj
Meaning 1
Characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
ironical
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
Received-Pronunciation: /aɪˈɹɒnɪkəl/
-
Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
General-American: /aɪˈɹɑnɪkəl/
-
CMU ARPABET: AY0 R AA1 N IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Given to the use of irony; sarcastic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Feigning ignorance; simulating lack of instruction or knowledge; exhibiting Socratic irony.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker
- it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ironic
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 5
humorously sarcastic or mocking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- dry humor
- an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely
- an ironic novel
- an ironical smile
- with a wry Scottish wit
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dry, ironic, wry
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From ironic + -al. Attested since the 1570s.
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- German: ironisch — characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony
- Slovak: ironický — characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony
- German: ironisch — given to the use of irony, sarcasm
- Japanese: 皮肉好きな (hiniku-zuki na) — given to the use of irony, sarcasm
- Slovak: ironický — given to the use of irony, sarcasm