Standard Lemma guide

ironically

adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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: /aɪˈɹɒnɪkli/
  • General-American: /aɪˈɹɑnɪkli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AY0 R AA1 N IH0 K L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In an ironic manner; in a way displaying irony.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: manner

Examples

  • My colleague ironically avoids doctors like the plague!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used to draw attention to an ironic aspect of a situation being described.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: evaluative

Examples

  • Ironically, the automated checkout system ended up costing more in repairs than the workers it was meant to replace.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in an ironic manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she began to mimic him ironically

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

contrary to plan or expectation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • ironically, he ended up losing money under his own plan

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English ironic Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English ironically From ironic + -ally.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: ірані́чна (iraníčna) — In an ironic manner
  • Catalan: irònicament — In an ironic manner
  • Dutch: ironisch — In an ironic manner
  • Esperanto: ironie — In an ironic manner
  • Finnish: ironisesti — In an ironic manner
  • French: ironiquement — In an ironic manner
  • Galician: ironicamente — In an ironic manner
  • German: ironisch — In an ironic manner
  • Italian: ironicamente — In an ironic manner
  • Polish: ironicznie — In an ironic manner
  • Portuguese: ironicamente — In an ironic manner
  • Romanian: ironic — In an ironic manner
  • Russian: ирони́чно (ironíčno) — In an ironic manner
  • Russian: ирони́чески (ironíčeski) — In an ironic manner
  • Slovak: ironicky — In an ironic manner
  • Spanish: irónicamente — In an ironic manner
  • Ukrainian: іроні́чно (ironíčno) — In an ironic manner
  • French: ironiquement — evaluative (sentence-modifying)
  • Russian: по иро́нии судьбы́ (po irónii sudʹbý) — evaluative (sentence-modifying)
Real reading context

ironically in complete knowledge articles