Without looking in the dictionary, define the word 'irony'.?

Question

Irony is not the easiest word to explain to someone, so how would you define it?

Answer 1

Irony I would define in general as when the unexpected or paradoxical happens. E.g. ironically Yuri Gagarin, the Russian Cosmonaut who was first human go into space, was killed in an air crash.

Dramatic irony is when the audience of a play, film etc. know something which one or more of the characters doesn't. Typically, one partner in a relationship is cheating on the other... Or the passengers in a train/plane/bus are unaware that someone is out to commit sabotage... The tension is kept up as the audience wonders when/how will he/she/they find out and how will they react, etc.

Answer 2

Unless I am mistaken, its a joke that the US gets irony wrong, because, and again I may be mistaken, in English it is the intentional misuse of a word for one that is more fitting and comical.

So in a way, the constant American misuse of the word irony to mean poetic justice, is ironic in itself.

Answer 3

Someone who has an obsessive need to iron. "Man, you're in an irony mood today"! LOL

You're right, that is a difficult word to explain.

Answer 4

It's the opposite of what was meant to be said.. Or it could be regarded as a twist of events.. In other words, you might have expected the outcome of a situation. But it turned out that the events happened the total opposite..

Answer 5

Irony is when the past returns with a vengeance.

Answer 6

Irony is very complex situation where u dont get something which u are supposed to get

Answer 7

A Humourous opposit of of a literal subject.

Thats the best i could do without the dictionary.

Answer 8

Irony is when when you dont want something to happen in a certain moment / place...it happens *sigh*

Answer 9

Meaning the opposite of what you're saying by the mildly sarcastic use of words.

Answer 10

irony is expecting a truth or common knowlegde and finding something else to be true or valid.