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IRONY: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for IRONY?

Need another word that means the same as “irony”? Find 14 synonyms and 30 related words for “irony” in this overview.

Table Of Contents:

Irony as a Noun
Definitions of "Irony" as a noun
Synonyms of "Irony" as a noun (14 Words)
Usage Examples of "Irony" as a noun
Associations of "Irony" (30 Words)

The synonyms of “Irony” are: caustic remark, sarcasm, satire, dryness, sharpness, acerbity, acid, bitterness, trenchancy, cynicism, paradox, incongruity, incongruousness, peculiarity

Irony as a Noun

Definitions of "Irony" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “irony” as a noun can have the following definitions:

Witty language used to convey insults or scorn–Jonathan Swif.
Witty language used to convey insults or scorn.
A trope that involves incongruity between what is expected and what occurs.
A literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character's words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.
Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs.
A state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result.
The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Synonyms of "Irony" as a noun (14 Words)

acerbity	Sharpness and directness in speech. Exuberance sharpened by blunt wit and acerbity.
acid	Street name for lysergic acid diethylamide. She was unable to quell the acid* in her voice.*
bitterness	Sharpness of taste; lack of sweetness. The lime juice imparts a slight bitterness.
caustic remark	Any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue.
cynicism	An inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism. Public cynicism* about politics.*
dryness	Moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or other drugs. There s a lovely dryness* to this straw coloured wine.*
incongruity	The state of being incongruous; incompatibility. The incongruity* of his fleshy face and skinny body disturbed her.*
incongruousness	The quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate.
paradox	A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true. The liar paradox.
peculiarity	A strange or unusual feature or habit. The peculiarity* of their upbringing.*
sarcasm	Witty language used to convey insults or scorn. She didn t like the note of sarcasm* in his voice.*
satire	A play novel film or other work which uses satire. A stinging satire* on American politics.*
sharpness	A quick and penetrating intelligence. The sweet flavour contrasts with the sharpness* of the lemon.*
trenchancy	Vigorousness or incisiveness in expression or style. She opines with characteristic trenchancy.

Usage Examples of "Irony" as a noun

‘Don't go overboard with the gratitude,’ he rejoined with heavy irony.
The irony is that I thought he could help me.
One of life's little ironies.
The irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated.
Irony is wasted on the stupid.

Associations of "Irony" (30 Words)

antinomy	A contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable; a paradox. There are not many short novels capable of accommodating bewildering antinomies.
burlesque	Relating to or characteristic of a burlesque. A novel which is a burlesque* of the literary life.*
charade	A word acted out in an episode of the game of charades. Talk of unity was nothing more than a charade.
comedy	The style or genre represented by comedy films plays and broadcast programmes. Advertising people see the comedy* in their work.*
conflicting	In disagreement. There are conflicting* accounts of what occurred.*
contradiction	Opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas. The experiment provides a contradiction* of the hypothesis.*
contradictory	A contradictory proposition. The two studies came to contradictory* conclusions.*
cynicism	An inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism. Cynicism about the future.
derision	Contemptuous ridicule or mockery. My stories were greeted with derision* and disbelief.*
discrepant	Not in accord. The reasons for these discrepant* results are unclear.*
hypercritical	Excessively and unreasonably critical, especially of small faults. He was a sarcastic hypercritical* man.*
inconsistent	Not in agreement. The quality of the material was often inconsistent.
irreverence	A lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously. An attitude of irreverence* towards politicians.*
lampoon	A speech or text lampooning someone or something. The actor was lampooned by the press.
mock	The act of mocking or ridiculing. They made a mock* of him.*
mockery	A composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody’s style, usually in a humorous way. After a mockery* of a trial in London he was executed.*
oxymoron	A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true).
paradox	A statement or proposition which, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems logically unacceptable or self-contradictory. I always lie is a paradox* because if it is true it must be false.*
paradoxical	Seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true. By glorifying the acts of violence they achieve the paradoxical* effect of making them trivial.*
parody	Make a parody of. His speciality was parodying schoolgirl fiction.
ridicule	Subject to laughter or ridicule. The satirists ridiculed the plans for a new opera house.
sarcasm	Witty language used to convey insults or scorn–Jonathan Swif. He used sarcasm* to upset his opponent.*
sarcastic	Expressing or expressive of ridicule that wounds. I think they re being sarcastic.
satire	A genre of literature characterized by the use of satire. A number of articles on Elizabethan satire.
satiric	Exposing human folly to ridicule. A persistent campaign of mockery by the satirical fortnightly magazine.
satirical	Sarcastic, critical, and mocking another’s weaknesses. A New York based satirical* magazine.*
satirize	Deride and criticize by means of satire. The writer satirized the politician s proposal.
spoof	Imitate (something) while exaggerating its characteristic features for comic effect. A Robin Hood spoof.
travesty	Make a travesty of. Michael has betrayed the family by travestying them in his plays.