examples irony sentences figures speech

Definition of Irony

Irony is a literary device in which contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true. There are many forms of irony featured in literature. The effectiveness of irony as a literary device depends on the reader’s expectations and understanding of the disparity between what “should” happen and what “actually” happens in a literary work. This can be in the form of an unforeseen outcome of an event, a character ’s unanticipated behavior, or something incongruous that is said.

One of the most famous examples of irony in literature comes from The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. In this story , a newly married couple decides independently to sacrifice and sell what means most to themselves in order to purchase a Christmas gift for the other. Unfortunately, the gifts they receive from each other are intended for the very prized possessions they both sold. As a result, though their sacrifices symbolize the love they have for each other, the actual gifts they receive are all but useless.

Common Examples of Irony

Many common phrases and situations reflect irony. Irony often stems from an unanticipated response ( verbal irony ) or an unexpected outcome ( situational irony ). Here are some common examples of verbal and situational irony:

• Verbal Irony
• Telling a quiet group, “don’t speak all at once”
• Coming home to a big mess and saying, “it’s great to be back”
• Telling a rude customer to “have a nice day”
• Walking into an empty theater and asking, “it’s too crowded”
• Stating during a thunderstorm, “beautiful weather we’re having”
• An authority figure stepping into the room saying, “don’t bother to stand or anything”
• A comedian telling an unresponsive audience , “you all are a great crowd”
• Describing someone who says foolish things as a “genius”
• Delivering bad news by saying, “the good news is”
• Entering a child’s messy room and saying “nice place you have here”
• Situational Irony
• A fire station that burns down
• Winner of a spelling bee failing a spelling test
• A t-shirt with a “Buy American” logo that is made in China
• Marriage counselor divorcing the third wife
• Sending a Christmas card to someone who is Jewish
• Leaving a car wash at the beginning of a downpour
• A dentist needing a root canal
• Going on a blind date with someone who is visually impaired
• A police station being burglarized
• Purchasing a roll of stamps a day before the price to send a letter increases

Examples of Irony in Plot

Irony is extremely useful as a plot device. Readers or viewers of a plot that includes irony often call this effect a “twist.” Here are some examples of irony in well-known plots:

• The Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum): the characters already have what they are asking for from the wizard
• Time Enough at Last (episode of “The Twilight Zone”): the main character, who yearns to be left alone to read, survives an apocalyptic explosion but breaks his reading glasses
• Oedipus Rex (Sophocles): Oedipus is searching for a murderer who, it turns out, is himself
• The Cask of Amontillado ( Edgar Allan Poe ): the character “Fortunato” meets with a very unfortunate fate
• Hansel and Gretel (Grimm fairy tale ): the witch, who intended to eat Hansel ad Gretel, is trapped by the children in her own oven

Real Life Examples of Irony

Think you haven’t heard of any examples of irony in real life? Here are some instances of irony that have taken place:

• It is reported that Lady Nancy Astor once said to Winston Churchill that if he were her husband, she would poison his tea. In response, Churchill allegedly said, “Madam, if I were your husband, I’d drink it.”
• Sweden’s Icehotel, built of snow and ice, contains fire alarms.
• Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the official name for fear of long words
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is considered an anti-censorship novel , and it is one of the most consistently banned books in the United States.
• A retired CEO of the Crayola company suffered from colorblindness.
• Many people claimed and/or believed that the Titanic was an “unsinkable” ship.
• There is a hangover remedy entitled “hair of the dog that bit you” that involves consuming more alcohol.
• George H.W. Bush reportedly stated, “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don’t always agree with them.”

Difference Between Verbal Irony, Dramatic Irony, and Situational Irony

Though there are many forms of irony as a literary device, its three main forms are verbal, dramatic, and situational. Verbal irony sets forth a contrast between what is literally said and what is actually meant. In dramatic irony , the state of the action or what is happening as far as what the reader or viewer knows is the reverse of what the players or characters suppose it to be. Situational irony refers to circumstances that turn out to be the reverse of what is expected or considered appropriate.

Essentially, verbal and situational irony are each a violation of a reader’s expectations and conventional knowledge. When it comes to verbal irony, the reader may be expecting a character’s statement or response to be one thing though it turns out to be the opposite. For situational irony, the reader may anticipate an event’s outcome in one way though it turns out to happen in a completely different way.

Dramatic Irony is more of a vicarious violation of expectations or knowledge. In other words, the reader/audience is aware of pertinent information or circumstances of which the actual characters are not. Therefore, the reader is left in suspense or conflict until the situation or information is revealed to the characters involved. For example, a reader may be aware of a superhero’s true identity whereas other characters may not know that information. Dramatic irony allows a reader the advantage of knowing or understanding something that a particular character or group of characters does not.

Writing Irony

Overall, as a literary device, irony functions as a means of portraying a contrast or discrepancy between appearance and reality. This is effective for readers in that irony can create humor and suspense, as well as showcase character flaws or highlight central themes in a literary work.

It’s essential that writers bear in mind that their audience must have an understanding of the discrepancy between appearance and reality in their work. Otherwise, the sense of irony is lost and ineffective. Therefore, it’s best to be aware of the reader or viewer’s expectations of reality in order to create an entirely different and unexpected outcome.

Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating irony into their work:

Plot Device

Irony in various forms is a powerful plot device. Unexpected events or character behaviors can create suspense for readers, heighten the humor in a literary work, or leave a larger impression on an audience. As a plot device, irony allows readers to re-evaluate their knowledge, expectations, and understanding. Therefore, writers can call attention to themes in their work while simultaneously catching their readers off-guard.

Method of Reveal

As a literary device, irony does not only reveals unexpected events or plot twists . It serves to showcase disparity in the behavior of characters, making them far more complex and realistic. Irony can also reveal preconceptions on the part of an audience by challenging their assumptions and expectations. In this sense, it is an effective device for writers.

Difference Between Irony and Sarcasm

Although irony encapsulates several things including situations, expressions, and actions, sarcasm only involves the use of language that is in the shape of comments. Whereas irony could be non-insulting for people, sarcasm essentially means ridiculing somebody or even insulting somebody. Therefore, it is fair to state that although sarcasm could be a part of an element of irony, the irony is a broad term, encompassing several items or ingredients of other devices in it.

Use of Irony in Sentences

• A traffic cop gets suspended for not paying his parking tickets.
• “Father of Traffic Safety” William Eno invented the stop sign, crosswalk, traffic circle, one-way street, and taxi stand—but never learned how to drive.
• Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone but refused to keep one in his study. He feared it would distract him from his work.
• Alan has been a marriage counselor for 10 years and he’s just filing for divorce.
• Oh, fantastic! Now I cannot attend the party I had been waiting for 3 months.

Examples of Irony in Literature

Irony is a very effective literary device as it adds to the significance of well-known literary works. Here are some examples of irony:

Example 1:  The Necklace (Guy de Maupassant)

“You say that you bought a necklace of diamonds to replace mine?” “Yes. You never noticed it, then! They were very like.” And she smiled with a joy which was proud and naïve at once. Mme. Forestier, strongly moved, took her two hands. “Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was paste. It was worth at most five hundred francs!”

In his short story , de Maupassant utilizes situational irony to reveal an unexpected outcome for the main character Mathilde who borrowed what she believed to be a diamond necklace from her friend Mme. Forestier to wear to a ball. Due to vanity and carelessness, Mathilde loses the necklace. Rather than confess this loss to her friend, Mathilde and her husband replace the necklace with another and thereby incur a debt that takes them ten years of labor to repay.

In a chance meeting, Mathilde learns from her friend that the original necklace was fake. This outcome is ironic in the sense that Mathilde has become the opposite of the woman she wished to be and Mme. Forestier is in possession of a real diamond necklace rather than a false one. This ending may cause the reader to reflect on the story’s central themes, including pride, authenticity, and the price of vanity.

Example 2:  Not Waving but Drowning  (Stevie Smith)

Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning: I was much further out than you thought And not waving but drowning .

Example 3:  A Modest Proposal (Jonathan Swift)

A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends; and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter .

Swift makes use of verbal irony in his essay in which he advocates eating children as a means of solving the issue of famine and poverty . Of course, Swift does not literally mean what he is saying. Instead, his verbal irony is used to showcase the dire situation faced by those who are impoverished and their limited resources or solutions. In addition, this irony is meant as a call to action among those who are not suffering from hunger and poverty to act in a charitable way towards those less fortunate.

Example 4: 1984 by George Orwell

War is Peace ; Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength .

There are several types of irony involved in the novel, 1984 , by George Orwell . The very first example is the slogan given at the beginning of the novel. This slogan is “ War is Peace ; Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength.” Almost every abstract idea is given beside or parallels to the idea that is contrary to it. These oxymoronic statements show the irony latent in them that although Oceania is at war, yet it is stressing the need for peace and the same is the case with others that although all are slaves of the state, they are calling it freedom. This is verbal irony.

Another example is that of situational irony. It is in the relationship of Winston and Julia that he secretly cherishes to have sexual advances toward her but outwardly hates her. When Julia finds that the place where it must be shunned, Junior Anti-Sex League, is the best place for such actions to do in hiding, it becomes a situational irony.

Synonyms of Irony

Some of the most known synonyms of irony are sarcasm, sardonicism, bitterness, cynicism, mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, sneering, wryness, or backhandedness.

Related posts:

• Dramatic Irony
• 10 Examples of Irony in Shakespeare
• 15 Irony Examples in Disney Movies
• 11 Examples of Irony in Children’s Literature
• 12 Thought Provoking Examples of Irony in History
• Top 12 Examples of Irony in Poetry
• 10 Irony Examples in Shakespeare
• Romeo and Juliet Dramatic Irony
• Brevity is the Soul of Wit
• To Thine Own Self Be True
• Frailty, Thy Name is Woman
• My Kingdom for a Horse
• Lady Doth Protest too Much
• The Quality of Mercy is Not Strain’d
• Ignorance is Strength

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, definition of irony.

As a literary device, irony is a contrast or incongruity between expectations for a situation and what is reality. This can be a difference between the surface meaning of something that is said and the underlying meaning. It can also be a difference between what might be expected to happen and what actually occurs. The definition of irony can further be divided into three main types: verbal, dramatic, and situational. We describe these types in detail below.

The word “irony” comes from the Greek character Eiron, who was an underdog and used his wit to overcome a stronger character. The Greek word eironeía derived from this character and came to mean “dissimulation” or “purposely affected ignorance.” The word then entered Latin as ironia, and eventually became common as a figure of speech in English in the 16th century.

Irony is sometimes confused with events that are just unfortunate coincidences. For example, Alanis Morrissette’s song “Ironic” contains many events that are not ironic in any sense. She cites “rain on your wedding day” and “a traffic jam when you’re already late” as ironic situations, yet these are merely bad luck.

Types of Irony

Verbal irony.

Verbal irony takes place when the speaker says something in sharp contrast to his or her actual meaning. The speaker often makes a statement that seems very direct, yet indicates that the opposite is in fact true, or what the speaker really means. Looking at Alanis Morrissette’s “Ironic” again, the one true instance of irony comes when the man whose plane is going down says, “Well, isn’t this nice.” Clearly, the plane crash is anything but nice, and thus this utterance conveys the opposite of the man’s true feelings. Unlike dramatic and situational irony, verbal irony is always intentional on the part of the speaker.

Verbal irony can also consist of “ironic similes”, which are comparisons in which the two things are not alike at all. For example, “as soft as sandpaper” or “as warm as ice.” These similes mean that the thing in question is actually not soft or warm at all. The author Daniel Handler (who writes with the pen name Lemony Snicket) takes ironic similes to an extreme by qualifying them so they actually become real comparisons. For example: “Today was a very cold and bitter day, as cold and bitter as a cup of hot chocolate, if the cup of hot chocolate had vinegar added to it and were placed in a refrigerator for several hours.”

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony occurs when the audience has more information than one or more characters in a work of literature. This literary device originated in Greek tragedy and often leads to tragic outcomes. For example, in Shakespeare’s Othello, the audience is aware that Othello’s best friend Iago is villainous and attempting to bring Othello down. The audience is also aware that Desdemona has been faithful, though Othello doesn’t know this. The audience can foresee the imminent disaster.

There are three stages of dramatic irony: installation, exploitation, and resolution. In the case of Othello, the installation is when Iago persuades Othello to suspect that Desdemona is having an affair with a man named Cassio. Iago then exploits the situation by planting Desdemona’s handkerchief, a gift from Othello, in Cassio’s room. The resolution is only after Othello has murdered Desdemona when her friend Emilia reveals Iago’s scheme.

Situational Irony

Situational irony consists of a situation in which the outcome is very different from what was expected. There are contradictions and contrasts present in cases of situational irony. For example, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the citizens of the Emerald City assume that Oz is great and all-powerful, yet the man behind the curtain is revealed to be an old man with no special powers.

Other types of irony:

• Cosmic Irony : Cosmic irony, also known as “irony of fate”, is present in stories that contain gods who have different agendas than humans. These gods, or the Fates, may play with the lives of humans for their own amusement. The irony lies in contrast between what the humans expect and what actually happens. Though this is most common in Greek legends, it is also present in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles where the immortals play with Tess’s life.
• Historical Irony : Historical irony relates to real events that happened that, when seen in retrospect, had vastly different outcomes than predicted at the time. For example, Chinese alchemists discovered gunpowder when looking for a way to create immortality. The result of their discovery was the opposite of what they were looking for.
• Socratic Irony : The philosopher Socrates would pretend to be ignorant about the topic under debate to draw out the nonsensical arguments of his opponent. This is particularly evident in the Platonic dialogues. This technique is an example of dramatic irony because Socrates pretended to have less information than he really did.

Difference between Irony and Sarcasm

Though there are many similarities between verbal irony and sarcasm, they are not equivalent. However, there are many dissenting opinions about how, exactly, they are different. For example, the Encyclopedia Britannica simply explains that sarcasm is non-literary irony. Others have argued that while someone employing verbal irony says the opposite of what that person means, sarcasm is direct speech that is aggressive humor. For example, when Winston Churchill told Bessie Braddock that “I shall be sober in the morning, and you will still be ugly,” he was being sarcastic and not employing any irony.

Common Examples of Irony

• Verbal irony : “What a pleasant day” (when it is raining heavily)
• Situational irony : Referring to WWI as “the war to end all wars”
• Situational irony : In 1925 when the New York Times declared that the crossword puzzle was a craze that was “dying out fast”
• Dramatic irony : The movie “The Truman Show”, where only Truman doesn’t know that he’s being filmed at all times

Examples of Irony in Literature

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

In this famous love story the audience can foresee the tragic ending long before Romeo and Juliet themselves know what’s going to happen. At the end of the play, Romeo finds Juliet and believes her to be dead though the audience knows she’s taken a sleeping potion. Romeo kills himself with this false knowledge. Juliet then wakes up and, finding Romeo truly dead, kills herself as well. This irony example is one of dramatic irony as the audience has more information than the characters.

MARK ANTONY: But Brutus says he was ambitious; / And Brutus is an honourable man.

( Julius Caesar by Shakespeare)

In this quote from Julius Caesar, Mark Antony is seemingly praising Brutus after the assassination of Julius Caesar. However, this example of irony is one of verbal irony, since Mark Antony is in fact implying that Brutus is neither ambitious nor honorable.

“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

In this short story, a young, poor couple struggle with what to buy each other for Christmas. The woman cuts her hair and sells it to buy a watchband for her husband. Meanwhile, the husband sells his watch face to buy combs for his wife’s hair. This is an example of situational irony, since the outcome is the opposite of what both parties expect.

“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen

In this short story, and later in the Disney adaptation, a mermaid falls in love with a prince and saves him from drowning. Desperate to be with him, the mermaid makes a deal with a sea witch to trade her voice for human legs. Though the prince is charmed by the mermaid he doesn’t realize who she really is because she no longer has a voice. This is an example of dramatic irony where the audience has more information than the prince.

Test Your Knowledge of Irony

1. Choose the best irony definition: A. An unfortunate coincidence in which the worst possible ending comes to pass. B. A contrast between expectations for what is going to happen and what actually does happen. C. A biting comment meant to be both humorous and true. [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #1″] Answer: B is the best answer.[/spoiler]

2. Is the following an example of situational, dramatic, or verbal irony?

In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus kills his own father without realizing that the man is actually his father. This act brings on a plague and Oedipus swears that he will murder the man responsible, not knowing that he himself is responsible.

A. Dramatic irony B. Situational irony C. Verbal irony [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #2″] Answer: This is an example of dramatic irony, since the audience has more information than Oedipus does. A is thus the correct answer.[/spoiler]

3. American President John F. Kennedy’s final reported conversation was with a woman who announced, “Mr. President, you can’t say that Dallas doesn’t love you.” JFK agreed, “That’s very obvious.” Why is this an example of irony?

A. The event was very tragic, and thus it was ironic. B. JFK was aware that he was in danger, and thus employed verbal irony when he asserted that Dallas must love him, knowing this wasn’t the case. C. In retrospect, this conversation was ironic because the outcome of the situation was completely at odds with what anyone would have expected to happen. [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #3″] Answer: C is the correct answer.[/spoiler]

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Irony: definition, types, and examples

Holly Stanley

“That’s so ironic!” We’ve all probably uttered these words at some point. In fact, you probably hear “isn’t it ironic?” all the time. Irony is one of the English language’s most misused and abused words. 

Irony has become synonymous with coincidence, bad luck, and pleasant surprises. But most things in life aren’t ironic . 

So if coincidences, bad luck, and unusual situations aren’t, what is ironic ? Let’s track down the misused word and uncover what situations it pertains to. 

Irony definition

The use of irony shows the contrast or incongruity between how things appear and how they are in reality. The remark “how ironic” indicates a meaning that’s the opposite of its precise meaning. 

In an ironic phrase, one thing is said, while another thing is meant. For example, if it were a cold, rainy gray day, you might say, “What a beautiful day!” Or, alternatively, if you were suffering from a bad bout of food poisoning, you might say, “Wow, I feel great today.”

These are both examples of irony –– verbal irony, to be precise –– the most frequently used type of irony (more on that later.)

Where does the word irony come from? 

Looking at irony’s origins can help with understanding how to best use the word. The word irony comes from the Latin ironia , meaning “feigned ignorance,” and previously from the Greek eironeia . Eiron, a Greek comic, was an intelligent underdog who used his wit to triumph over the egotistical character Alazon.

Since irony describes an outcome that contrasts with the originally expected results, you’ll see that writers generally use irony to build tension, create humor, or as a plot twist. 

When is something not ironic? 

When pinpointing the definition of irony , it can be helpful to look at when situations are incorrectly labeled as ironic . Irony is often used as a synonym for a caustic remark, something that’s interesting, or sarcastic.

What about the song Ironic ? 

Even singer Alanis Morissette got the definition wrong in her hit 1995 single “Ironic.” In fact, the criticism of her song was so strong, she had to clarify that she wasn’t technically trying to say that every line of the song was ironic.

Let’s take a closer look at Morissette’s timeless song lyrics:

It’s like rain on your wedding day,

It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid,

It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take.

While it could be considered bad luck, rain on a wedding day isn’t ironic , since it’s not as though it’s a given that every wedding day will have perfect sunny weather.

In a similar vein, a free ride when you’ve already paid or not taking good advice isn’t ironic either. The former is unusual and the latter is something that’s interesting.

Types of irony

To help you better understand irony and how to use it in your writing, we’ll dive into five different types.

Verbal irony 

Verbal irony is when the intended meaning of a phrase is the opposite of what is meant. It’s a figure of speech used to emphasize the contrast in meanings. It’s often used as a way of injecting witty humor into someone’s speech or writing. 

There are many English expressions that epitomize verbal irony. Here are a few:

•  “Fat chance!”

•  “Clear as mud”

•  “As soft as concrete”

Verbal irony works best as a literary technique when the reader already knows the initial concepts. For instance, it’s common knowledge that concrete is hard, and mud is opaque.

As you might imagine, an ironic understatement creates contrast by undermining the impact of something, despite the subject itself being quite severe. 

In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye , the character Holden Caulfield says, “I have to have this operation. It isn’t very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain.”

Of course, having a brain tumor is a serious health issue, which Holden downplays in this excerpt. 

Alternatively, an ironic overstatement makes something insignificant sound like a bigger deal than it is to highlight how minor it is. Statements like these are figurative language and are the opposite of their literal meaning.

Say you go for a job interview, but it’s a trainwreck because you spill coffee on your brand-new suit, are 20 minutes late, and forget the interviewer’s name. Your partner asks you how it went and you say, “Aced it, best interview of my life” –– that’s an ironic overstatement.

If verbal irony sounds like it’s pretty familiar, it’s because sarcasm is actually a form of verbal irony (more on that later.) 

Dramatic irony 

A favorite in many famous movies and books, dramatic irony is a literary device where the reader or spectator knows critical information but the characters don’t. 

One of the most famous examples of literary dramatic irony is in O. Henry’s short story, “The Gift of the Magi.” A recently married couple chooses independently to sacrifice and sell what means most to them to buy a Christmas gift for the other. 

But in a twist of fate, the gifts they receive from each other are meant for the prized possessions they just sold. Although their sacrifices show the love they have for one another, the gifts they receive are actually useless.

Dramatic irony is a staple in horror movies. For example, the main character hides under the bed where the killer is hiding (the audience knows the killer is there but the protagonist doesn’t.) This form of irony is a great way of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats and building tension. 

Tragic irony 

In tragic irony, a subset of dramatic irony, the words, and actions of the characters contradict reality, often in a tragic or devastating way, which the readers or spectators realize.

Tragic irony came to define many ancient Greek tragedies. For instance, in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex,” the audience can see what Oedipus is blind to: he’s actually killing his own father. 

William Shakespeare was also a fan of using tragic irony to keep the audience gripped to a compelling, often sorrowful plotline. In Romeo and Juliet , when Romeo is alerted of Juliet’s death, he assumes the tragic news to be true. 

But the audience knows that Juliet has, in fact, just faked her death with the help of a potion. Romeo, on the other hand, thinks Juliet is dead and, as a result, commits suicide.

Socratic irony  

Socratic irony gets its name from the moral philosopher Socrates, who would often fake ignorance to reveal someone’s misconstrued assumptions. It’s one of the more manipulative types of irony and is one way of getting information out of someone that can then be used against them later. 

You might recognize socratic irony in courtroom scenes from legal dramas like Suits . Lawyers often use rhetorical tricks, like socratic irony , to get someone to confess or admit something. 

Socratic irony is also perfect for comedies, too. In a classic scene from the American comedy T he Office , Michael knows that Dwight lied about going to the dentist. When Dwight returns, Michael goes for some rather ineffective rhetorical questioning to try and catch Dwight out. 

Situational irony 

Situational irony or the “irony of events” is when the reality contradicts an expected outcome. 

In movies and literature, situational irony ensures things are unpredictable and interesting. After all, it’d be dull if the plot turned out exactly how we expected every time. It’s not how life or fictional storytelling works. 

With situational irony, we learn at the same time as the characters that our expectations are different from reality.

For example in American Psycho , Patrick Bateman confesses to committing a string of murders but is laughed off. We anticipate that he’ll be punished for his crimes, but he isn’t, making it a perfect example of situational irony.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is another story full of examples of situational irony. Dorothy longs to go home and fulfills the wizard’s demanding list of tasks only to find out she had the ability to return home all along. The lion who appears to be a coward is actually courageous and the scarecrow who wants to be intelligent is actually a genius.

Situational irony is linked to the concept of cosmic irony –– when the universe or gods seemingly conspire for an event for its own amusement. 

Cosmic irony is a subcategory of situational irony but is defined by the inclusion of a supernatural element. There’s still a situation where the reality and expectation are different but there is another element involved –– a higher power if you will. This could be god, the universe, or fate. 

Remember that the “irony of events” isn’t the same as a coincidence or plain bad luck. 

What’s the difference between irony and sarcasm?

Ah, “sarcasm the lowest form of wit” as the writer, Oscar Wilde, once said. While Wilde wasn’t a fan, a sarcastic jibe here and there isn’t always bad news.

People often mix up irony and sarcasm. As we touched on briefly above, sarcasm is actually a type of irony. 

So the difference between sarcasm and irony is pretty small and nuanced. Once you’re clear on how sarcasm fits into irony, you won’t find yourself identifying sarcasm as irony again.

In its simplest form, irony refers to situations where the outcome is the opposite of what you or the reader expect. 

If a prediction is black, then the outcome would be white. Not off-white or gray, it would have to be totally the opposite of black. 

Sarcasm, on the other hand, is a form of expression that’s generally pointed at a person with the objective of criticizing or denigrating someone. Sarcasm is usually insincere speech and can have a condescending tone to it, with the purpose of insulting or embarrassing someone. 

Let’s take a look at both verbal irony and sarcasm side by side:

Verbal irony — Wife saying, “What a beautiful stormy day for a swim.”

Sarcasm —  Husband saying to the same wife, “The middle of the hurricane season was a great time for a vacation out here.” 

See how with verbal irony, it’s ironic because the weather isn’t beautiful for swimming. Instead, the opposite is true –– it’s unpleasant and sometimes dangerous to swim during a storm. 

But sarcasm is making a sneering comment about choosing to go on vacation in the middle of hurricane season. When you see the two statements together, it’s easier to see how they differ from one another. 

Let’s look at some more sarcasm examples:

•  After someone tells a boring or never-ending story: “That’s so fascinating.”

•  After failing your driving test: “Well, that went well.” 

•  Self-deprecating: “ Dinner is burned, I’m such a great chef. ”

To easily differentiate between sarcasm and irony, remember that irony applies to situations while sarcasm is a form of expression. In a way, sarcasm is like irony dressed up with a sassy attitude.

Key takeaways: irony

So, that’s a wrap. Irony isn’t all that difficult to wrap your head around when you know what to look for. Ultimately, irony is just the use of words to express something that’s the opposite of the literal meaning.

When used correctly, irony helps you inject humor and wit into your writing while keeping things interesting and unexpected for the reader. 

Looking to make your writing more engaging? Try a free trial with Writer today. 

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• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Use Irony

I. What is Irony?

Irony (pronounced ‘eye-run-ee’) is when there are two contradicting meanings of the same situation, event, image, sentence, phrase, or story.  In many cases, this refers to the difference between expectations and reality.

For example, if you go sight-seeing anywhere in the world today, you will see crowds of people who are so busy taking cell-phone pictures of themselves in front of the sight that they don’t actually look at what they came to see with their own eyes.  This is ironic, specifically, situational irony . This one situation has two opposing meanings that contradict expectations: (1) going to see a sight and prove that you were there (2) not enjoying the thing you went to see.

Irony is often used for critical or humorous effect in literature, music, art, and film (or a lesson).  In conversation, people often use verbal irony to express humor, affection, or emotion, by saying the opposite of what they mean to somebody who is expected to recognize the irony.  “I hate you” can mean “I love you”—but only if the person you’re saying it to already knows that! This definition is, of course, related to the first one (as we expect people’s words to reflect their meaning) and in most cases, it can be considered a form of sarcasm.

II. Examples of Irony

A popular visual representation of irony shows a seagull sitting on top of a “no seagulls” sign. The meaning of the sign is that seagulls are not allowed in the area.  The seagull sitting on the sign not only contradicts it, but calls attention to the absurdity of trying to dictate where seagulls may or may not go, which makes us laugh.

Another example is a staircase leading up to a fitness center, with an escalator running alongside it. All the gym patrons are using the escalator and no one is on the stairs. Given that this is a fitness center, we’d expect that everyone should be dedicated to health and exercise, and so they would use the free exercise offered by the stairs. But instead, they flock to the comfort of the escalator, in spite of the fact that they’ve come all this way just to exercise. Once again, our expectations are violated and the result is irony and humor.

Aleister Crowley, a famous English mystic of the early twentieth century, who taught that a person could do anything if they mastered their own mind, died of heroin addiction. This is ironic because the way he died completely contradicts what he taught.

III. The Importance of Irony

The most common purpose of irony is to create humor and/or point out the absurdity of life. As in the all of the examples above, life has a way of contradicting our expectations, often in painful ways. Irony generally makes us laugh, even when the circumstances are tragic, such as in Aleister Crowley’s failure to beat his addiction. We laugh not because the situations were tragic, but because they violate our expectations.  The contrast between people’s expectations and the reality of the situations is not only funny, but also meaningful because it calls our attention to how wrong human beings can be.  Irony is best when it points us towards deeper meanings of a situation.

IV. Examples of Irony in Literature

In O. Henry’s famous short story The Gift of the Magi , a husband sells his prized watch so that he can buy combs as a gift for his wife. Meanwhile, the wife sells her beautiful hair so she can buy a watch-chain for her husband. The characters ’ actions contradict each other’s expectations and their efforts to give each other gifts make the gifts useless.

Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amantillado is full of verbal and situational irony, including the name of the main character. He’s called Fortunato (Italian for “fortunate”), in spite of the fact that he’s extremely unlucky throughout the story.

Water, water everywhere, nor any a drop to drink.

This line from Samuel Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” describes the dark irony of a sailor dying of thirst on his boat while he is surrounded by water.

V. Examples of Irony in Pop Culture

Alannis Morisette’s popular song “Ironic” contains such lyrics as:

Rain on your wedding day A free ride when you’ve already paid Good advice that you just didn’t take

These are not examples of irony . They’re just unfortunate coincidences. However, the fact that her song is called “Ironic” and yet has such unironic lyrics is itself ironic. The title contradicts the lyrics of the song. It isn’t, so your expectations are violated.

In Disney’s Aladdin , Aladdin wishes for riches and power so that he can earn the right to marry Princess Jasmine. Thanks to the genie’s magic, he gets all the wealth he could ask for and parades through the streets as a prince. But, ironically, this makes him unattractive to the princess and he finds himself further away from his goal than he was as a poor beggar. In this case, it’s the contrast between Aladdin’s expectations and results which are ironic.

Related terms

Sarcasm is a kind of verbal irony that has a biting or critical tone, although it can be used to express affection between friends It is one of the most common forms of irony in fiction and in real life. We’ve all heard people use verbal irony to mock, insult, or poke fun at someone or something. For example, here’s a famous sarcastic line from The Princess Bride :

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

In the scene, Wesley is insulting the intelligence of Vizzini the Sicilian using verbal irony (the word “truly” makes it even more ironic, since Wesley is reassuring Vizzini of the truth of an untrue statement). The line is both ironic and mean, and therefore it’s sarcastic . One needs to be a little careful with sarcasm, since you can easily hurt people’s feelings or make them angry.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
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Table of Contents

Introduction.

Irony is a figure of speech where the intended meaning of words or actions is opposite to their literal or expected meaning, often creating a humorous or thought-provoking effect.

In this article, we will define this figure of speech and illustrate it with examples from literature.

Let’s start with the definition of irony!

What is irony?

Irony is a figure of speech in which there is a contradiction of expectation between what is said and what is really meant . It is characterized by an incongruity, a contrast, between reality and appearance.

An example of irony is when a fire station burns down while the firefighters are responding to a call at a neighboring building.

The term “irony” comes from the Greek word “ eironeia ,” which originally referred to a dissimulating or feigned ignorance, and later evolved to denote a contrast between appearance and reality in literature and speech.

Types of Irony

There are three types of irony: verbal , dramatic , and situational .

• It is a contrast between what is said and what is meant
• Example: During a heavy rainstorm, someone looks out the window and says, “What lovely weather we’re having!”
• It occurs when the audience or the reader knows more than the character about events. In other words, what the character thinks is true is inconsistent with what the audience knows.
• Example: In “The Green Mile”, John Coffey possesses the power to heal ailments and even resurrect the dead, yet he is unjustly accused and convicted of a heinous crime. The irony deepens as the audience witnesses this juxtaposition between Coffey’s capacity for healing and his enormous physical strength, capable of causing harm. This figure of speech becomes a powerful element in the narrative, emphasizing the complexities of human nature and challenging preconceived notions about good and evil.
• This refers to the contrast between the actual result of a situation and what was intended or expected to happen.
• A fire station catches fire while the firefighters are responding to an emergency in another part of the town.

Why Do Writers Use Irony?

Writers use irony for several reasons, as it adds depth, complexity, and nuance to their storytelling. Here are some primary reasons why writers use it:

• Enhancing Complexity: This figure of speech allows writers to introduce layers of meaning and complexity into their narratives. By juxtaposing what is expected with what actually occurs, writers create a more intricate and thought-provoking story.
• Engaging the Audience: This figure of speech captivates readers or viewers by challenging their expectations. It prompts them to think critically about the narrative, characters, and themes, fostering a deeper engagement with the material.
• Highlighting Themes: It can be a powerful tool for emphasizing themes and messages within a work. By presenting situations where the outcome is contrary to expectations, writers can underscore larger ideas or social commentary.
• Creating Humor: It is often used for comedic effect. When there is a contrast between what is said or expected and what actually happens, it can evoke laughter or amusement, adding a lighter tone to the narrative.
• Building Suspense: Dramatic irony, where the audience knows something the characters do not, can be an effective way to build suspense. This creates tension as readers eagerly anticipate the unfolding consequences of the characters’ actions.
• Challenging Assumptions: It challenges preconceived notions and societal expectations. It allows writers to subvert conventional ideas, revealing the incongruities between appearance and reality, and prompting readers to question their own beliefs.
• Conveying Critique or Satire: It is often employed in satire and social commentary. By presenting situations or characters in an ironic light, writers can critique societal norms, behaviors, or institutions in a subtle yet impactful manner.

Examples of Irony

Here are some examples of Irony with explanations:

• Explanation: This is an example of verbal irony. The phrase “clear as mud” is a figurative expression that means something is confusing or unclear. When someone says, “His argument was as clear as mud,” it’s ironic because it suggests the argument was not clear at all, contrary to what the words literally mean.
• Explanation: This is an example of situational irony. Identical twins are expected to look very similar, if not identical. However, in this situation, one twin telling the other “You’re ugly” creates an unexpected and ironic contrast, as they are genetically identical. The irony lies in the unexpected divergence from the usual expectation of identical twins looking alike.
• Explanation: This is an example of situational irony. A police station is typically a place where law enforcement is based, and it’s expected to be secure. In this situation, the fact that thieves successfully rob the police station is ironic because it goes against the usual expectations. The irony lies in the reversal of roles, where the supposed guardians of law and order become the victims of a crime.
• Explanation : The situation did not go well, but the expression suggests the opposite.
• Explanation : The praise suggests approval, but the speaker is actually expressing disapproval.
• Explanation: The statement implies frustration, but the words used suggest the opposite.
• Explanation: The situation is described as delightful, but the term “mess” contradicts this positive expression.
• Explanation: The use of “perfect” suggests approval, but the context indicates the opposite.
• Explanation: The speaker uses a positive word like “wonderful” to describe a situation usually considered negative.
• Explanation: The speaker sarcastically comments on the great weather when the reality is adverse.
• Explanation: The term “genius” is used sarcastically to highlight the opposite quality in the person.

Examples of Irony in Literature

Examples of irony are frequent in literature. The incorporation of this stylistic device in literary works adds depth, complexity, and often a layer of intrigue to storytelling. Here are some illustrative examples:

OEDIPUS       Then I will start afresh, and once again       shed light on darkness. It is most fitting       that Apollo demonstrates his care       for the dead man, and worthy of you, too.       And so you’ll see how I will work with you,       as is right, seeking vengeance for this land,       as well as for the god. This polluting stain       I will remove, not for some distant friends,       but for myself. For whoever killed this man       may soon enough desire to turn his hand       to punish me in the same way, as well.       Thus, in avenging Laius, I serve myself.       But now, my children, quickly as you can       stand up from these altar steps and raise       your suppliant branches. Someone must call       the Theban people to assemble here.       I’ll do everything I can. With the god’s help       this will all come to light successfully,       or else will prove our common ruin. From “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles’

Sophocles’ “ Oedipus Rex ” is an example of dramatic irony . The audience knows that Oedipus is the murderer he is trying to find, while Oedipus remains unaware of his true identity. This creates suspense and tension as the audience anticipates the tragic revelation.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”  From “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austin

The opening line from “ Pride and Prejudice ” by Jane Austen is an example of verbal irony . The statement begins with what seems like a universally accepted truth, but as the story unfolds, the irony becomes evident.

The novel explores the complexities of relationships and challenges the initial notion that a wealthy single man must inevitably be seeking a wife. The irony lies in the contrast between the apparent truth stated and the nuanced realities revealed in the narrative.

All of a sudden she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb diamond necklace, and her heart began to beat with an immoderate desire. Her hands trembled as she took it. She fastened it round her throat, outside her high-necked waist, and was lost in ecstasy at her reflection in the mirror. Then she asked, hesitating, filled with anxious doubt: “Will you lend me this, only this?” “Why, yes, certainly.” She threw her arms around her friend’s neck, kissed her passionately, then fled with her treasure. From “ The Necklace ” by Guy de Maupassant

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant provides a good example of situational irony .

Mathilde Loisel, the main character in Guy de Maupassant’s “ The Necklace ,” borrows a diamond necklace from a friend to enhance her appearance at a luxurious ball, aiming to appear affluent. However, her plans take a tragic turn as she loses the jewels, leading to financial ruin for both her and her husband.

Ironically, in the story’s conclusion, Mathilde discovers that the jewels she sacrificed so much to replace were, in fact, fake, adding a poignant twist to the narrative.

In summary, irony is a powerful and multifaceted literary device that transcends the mere surface of words, injecting narratives with layers of complexity and depth. It can be classified into three types—verbal, dramatic, and situational—each contributing a distinct flavor to the storytelling palette.

This stylistic device adds richness to literature by challenging expectations, engaging readers through subtle twists, and offering a nuanced exploration of themes. If you incorporate irony into your writing, you will not only captivate your audience but also elevate the sophistication and impact of your narrative, fostering a more profound connection between the text and the reader.

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20 Irony Examples: In Literature and Real Life

Millie Dinsdale

Irony occurs when what happens is the opposite from what is expected.

Writers use irony as a literary technique to add humor, create tension, include uncertainty, or form the central plot of a story.

We will be looking at the four types of irony (three common and one uncommon) and providing examples and tips to help you identify and use them in your work.

Quick Reminder of What Irony Is

Irony examples in literature, irony examples in real life, which scenario is an example of irony.

Irony is a rhetorical device in which the appearance of something is opposite to its reality .

There are four main types of irony: verbal irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, and Socratic irony . Socratic irony is not a literary device, and therefore we will not be looking at examples, but it is worth being aware of.

• Verbal Irony is when a speaker says one thing but means something entirely different. The literal meaning is at odds with the intended meaning.
• Dramatic Irony is when the audience knows something that the characters don’t.
• Situational Irony is when what happens is the opposite of what you expect.
• Socratic Irony is when a person feigns ignorance in order to get another to admit to knowing or doing something. It is named after Socrates, the Greek philosopher, who used this technique to tease information out of his students.

Why is irony important to understand? Along with being a key rhetorical device, irony can also be very effective when used correctly in writing.

To demonstrate this fact we have selected ten examples of irony usage from popular literature. Warning: this list includes a few spoilers.

1) The main characters’ wishes in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz are a perfect example of situational irony .

The characters go on a quest to fulfill their hearts’ desires and instead of doing so they realize that they already had what they wanted all along. It is unexpected because the reader might assume that all of their desires will be gifted to the four main characters but, in the end, it’s unnecessary.

2) The conclusion between the two primary opponents in The Night Circus contains a large amount of situational irony .

The reader is led to expect that either Marco or Celia will win but, in the end, they both end up working together to keep their creation alive. The competition is not as black and white (pardon the pun) as it initially seems.

3) The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is full of verbal irony . A great example of this is when Dr Jekyll says “I am quite sure of him,” when referring to Mr Hyde.

This is verbal irony because the reader finds out that Hyde is actually Jekyll’s alter ego, so it would be expected that he knows himself well.

4) Shakespeare creates dramatic irony in the prologue of Romeo and Juliet through the line: “A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.”

This well-known example is ironic because the reader knows from the very beginning that their romance will end in death, but they don’t yet know how.

5) Alice’s changing relationship with the Bandersnatch in Alice in Wonderland is situationally ironic .

When we first meet the Bandersnatch, he is ferocious and attempts to harm Alice. When Alice returns his eye, they become friends and the two work together to defeat the Jabberwocky. The audience expects to see an enemy but are instead presented with an ally.

6) George Orwell masters situational irony in Animal Farm through the animals’ endless and fruitless battle to obtain freedom.

All of the animals work together to escape the tyranny of the humans who own them. In doing so they end up under the even stricter rule of the pigs.

7) Roald Dahl’s short story A Lamb to a Slaughter is full of dramatic irony .

A housewife kills her husband with a frozen leg of lamb when he asks for a divorce. The police come looking for evidence and unknowingly dispose of it when they are fed the murder weapon for dinner.

8) The repeated line “May the odds be ever in your favor” in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games is verbally ironic .

Everyone from district 1 through 12 can be offered as a child sacrifice and has a 1/24 chance of surviving. Even if they do survive they are then delivered back under the control of the Capitol, so the odds are in nobody’s favor.

9) The disparity between children and adults in Roald Dahl’s Matilda is situationally ironic .

Most of the adults in Matilda’s life are hot-headed, uneducated, and unreasonable, while she as a six-year old is more mature than most of them. The traditional roles of child and adult are unexpectedly flipped on their heads.

10) The hit-and-run in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is situationally ironic .

Daisy Buchanan kills Myrtle when Myrtle runs in front of Gatsby’s car. It is ironic because Myrtle is Tom Buchanan’s mistress but Daisy does not know this. She unintentionally killed her husband's mistress.

Irony works so well in literature because it is so common in real life. Have you ever found yourself saying “well that’s ironic” to a situation in your life?

You could be talking about verbal, situational, or dramatic irony. Let’s take a look at a few everyday examples of each type.

11) When you find out that your pulmonologist (lung doctor) smokes.

This is situationally ironic because you’d expect this doctor of all people to avoid smoking because they understand all of the risks.

12) When someone falls over for the tenth time while ice-skating and says “I meant to do that.”

This person cannot be intending to fall over all the time but they are using verbal irony to make light of a possibly painful situation.

13) Your dog eats his certificate of dog-training obedience.

You would expect that in the process of having obtained an obedience certificate, the dog would also have learnt not to eat random objects. This is an example of situational irony .

14) The fire hydrant is on fire.

This is situationally ironic because the last thing that you would expect to be on fire is the object that is designed to fight fires. A similar example to this would be if a fire station were on fire.

15) A girl is teasing her friend for having mud on his face but she doesn’t know that she also has mud on her face.

From the point of view of the friend, this is an example of dramatic irony because he knows something that she does not.

16) Your mom buys a non-stick pan but has to throw it away because the label is so sticky she cannot get it off.

You would predict that the pan was completely non-stick but are proven wrong at the first hurdle, which is situationally ironic .

17) When someone crashes into a “thank you for driving carefully'' sign.

The vision of a car crashed into the sign makes it clear that they did not drive carefully at all, which is situationally ironic .

18) Buying your English teacher a mug that reads “your the best teacher ever.”

The poor English teacher may feel like they have failed in their job in this situationally ironic situation where their student has bought them a mug with a grammar mistake.

19) When a child says “I want crisps now!” and the parent says: “Thank you so much for using your good manners.”

The child is being impolite and the parent is not actually congratulating the child on their manners in this example of verbal irony . They mean the exact opposite.

20) You can’t open your new scissors because you don’t have any scissors to cut through the plastic.

This example of situational irony is far too common. In buying scissors, it can be expected that you do not have any, so it is ironic that the packaging is designed for someone who already has a pair.

Are you ready for a quick quiz to test your knowledge of irony? The test is split into the three types of irony.

Which of These Are Examples of Situational Irony?

1) A police station is robbed.

2) A child loses his rucksack after being told to take care not to lose it.

3) A person eats sweets while preaching about healthy eating

Only 1) and 3) are examples of situational irony. Sentence 2) is not a situational irony example because it could be expected that the child might lose the rucksack and that is why they were told to take care.

It would, however, be ironic if he subsequently lost his “Most Organized in 2nd Grade” certificate five minutes after being awarded it.

Which of These Are Examples of Verbal Irony?

1) Saying “The weather is lovely today” while it is hailing.

2) “Wow that perfume is so lovely, did you bathe in it?”

3) Saying “Thank you so much for your help” after someone has crushed your new glasses while helping to look for them.

Only example 1) is verbally ironic, the other two are sarcastic comments.

Verbal irony and sarcasm are often confused but there is one big difference between them: verbal irony is when what you say is the opposite of what you mean while sarcasm is specifically meant to embarrass or insult someone.

Which of These Are Examples of Dramatic Irony?

1) A small ship without life boats is stuck in a monumental storm in the middle of the Atlantic.

2) Three characters are killed and a fourth seems to be going the same way.

3) A girl walks down the same alley we have just seen a known murderer walk down.

Only option 3) is an example of dramatic irony because the audience knows that the murderer is down the alley but the girl does not.

Although the other two examples are undeniably dramatic, there is no inherent irony because the audience has no more knowledge about what will happen than those involved.

Why Should You Use Irony in Your Writing?

Irony can be an effective tool to make a reader stop and think about what has just happened.

It can also emphasize a central theme or idea by adding an unexpected twist to the events of the story.

What brilliant examples of irony in literature have we missed? Share your favorites in the comments.

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Millie is ProWritingAid's Content Manager. Aa an English Literature graduate, she loves all things books and writing. When she isn't working, Millie enjoys adding to her vast indoor plant collection, dancing, re-reading books by Daphne Du Maurier, and running.

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Posted on Sep 02, 2022

Verbal Irony: 9 Examples that Will Make You Smirk

Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the literal meaning of what someone is saying is different from what they really mean. For example, someone saying “Just what I needed”, after spilling coffee on their shirt on the way to an important meeting. It is often used to make a point or to express sarcasm, both in literature and in everyday conversation. It can also be used to bring humor to a situation, foreshadow events, or express frustration. 

For a better grasp of this type of humor, here are some examples of verbal irony from popular culture: 

“Your stunned silence is very reassuring” — Monsters, Inc

Roz (flatly): Hello Wazowski. Fun filled evening plans for tonight? Mike Wazowski: Well, as a matter of fact — Roz: — and I’m sure you filed your paperwork correctly. For once. (pause) Roz: Your stunned silence is very reassuring.

In Monsters Inc, scare assistant Mike Wazowski tries to leave work without dropping off his paperwork for the day. Unfortunately for Mike, this involves slipping past Roz, the intimidating administrator of ‘Scare Floor F.’ Her dry and deadpan line of questioning, which drips with irony,  immediately establishes her place within the company as a terrifying authority figure who terrifies Mike. Of course, Mike’s instincts aren’t too far off, as Roz later reveals herself to be more than meets the eye(!).

“And Brutus is an honourable man” — Julius Caesar

“Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest– For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men– Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man.”

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar , Caesar has just been murdered by a band of conspirators that includes his ally, Marcus Brutus. Brutus makes an appeal to the people of Rome to justify the killing — saying that his cohorts were, in fact, protecting Rome from Caesar’s ambitions. Brutus briefly wins the crowd’s support until Caesar’s close friend, Mark Anthony, stands to make his famous “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech.

In his address, Mark Anthony repeatedly calls the conspirators “honourable men” — the irony of which is not lost on the crowd. He singles out Brutus’s justification that Caesar was “ambitious” — and hits home just how weak a reason this was to kill a man. But who are we to argue with Brutus? After all, he is an “honourable man.” But Mark Anthony’s ironic implications are enough to turn the tide of support.

Which famous author do you write like?

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“Say Yes to Knope!” — Parks and Recreation

"Yes we can’t not. Knope."

Fiction is packed full of people whose names are the polar opposites of their characters — an irony that often serves to highlight that particular trait. In Parks and Recreation, the city’s irrepressibly positive parks administrator is curiously named Leslie Knope (pronounced ‘nope’). This contradiction was strategically deployed for laughs over the show’s seven seasons, culminating in a real-world billboard for Leslie’s campaign: “KNOPE WE CAN IN 2012”.

Other characters with ironic names include the man-mountain Little John from Robin Hood, Waiting for Godot ’s beleaguered slave character (called "Lucky"), and the perpetually ill and lethargic Captain Keene in the Hornblowers series.

"The dead man very considerately got up...” — The Sign of the Four

“What do you think of this, Holmes? Sholto was, on his own confession, with his brother last night. The brother died in a fit, on which Sholto walked off with the treasure. How's that?" "On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside." "Hum! There's a flaw there.”

The most accomplished forensic mind of the Victorian age, Sherlock Holmes is not known for his patience with lesser detectives. When police inspector Athenley Jones overlooks a key detail in examining a crime scene, Holmes resorts to a quick barb to set Jones straight. This use of verbal irony in The Sign of the Four (where he supposes that a dead man has locked a room from the inside) not only reveals Holmes’s cutting demeanor — but also nods his signature use of deductive reasoning: “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” And in this particular case, as in real life, walking corpses are still in the realm of the impossible.

📚 Sound like something you want to read more of? Check out our comprehensive guide to the Sherlock Holmes books .

“It’s so good to see you too!” — She’s the Man

Monique: (running up behind Viola) Sebastian! Monique whips Viola around, by pulling on her loose-fitting sport jacket. Monique: Ew, it’s you. God, you and your brother look scary alike from the back. I think it’s your total lack of curves Viola: Hi Monique, it’s so good to see you too!

When your brother’s girlfriend accidentally mistakes you for him, you’d think she’d apologize or something — instead of adding insult to injury. Well, when this happens to the heroine of She’s The Man (a modern spin on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night ), Viola cuts back at her brother’s vapid girlfriend with a thickly sarcastic, “it’s so good to see you too.” This response reveals a lot about Viola's confident, sassy personality.

In another twist of irony, Monique’s insult gives Viola a solution to her biggest problem: she’s going to pose as a boy so she can join the school soccer team!

“A stranger to one of your parents” — Pride and Prejudice

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” 

Lizzie Bennet, of Austen's Pride and Prejudice , finds herself in a tough spot. Her mother wishes for her to marry the insipid Mr. Collins — the heir to her family home — thereby securing the Bennet clan’s future. For the independent and intelligent Lizzie, this future seems as inevitable as it is horrible — until her father finally pipes up.

While he usually leaves all decisions of society and marriage to his over-enthusiastic wife, Mr. Bennett finally decides to speak up against this marital arrangement. While, at face value, Mr. Bennett’s ultimatum makes it sound like he just doesn’t want to spend more time with Mr. Collins than necessary, the reader understands this to be his way of showing support and affection for his favorite daughter.

“And that has made all the difference” – The Road Not Taken

"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

We often needlessly sweat over the tiny choices in life: this is the point ultimately made by the narrator of Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” a poem commonly misread as a celebration of individualism and the adventurous spirit. Oh, the irony!

Faced with a choice between two diverging roads, our hero seems proud that he took the road ‘less traveled by.' He soon realizes that it was pretty much the same once he’d trod through it. In the final stanza, he imagines himself telling others that this choice has ‘made all the difference’ —  but his sigh lets us know otherwise! While the path you choose (or the choices you make) might slightly change the journey, in the end, will it have made a difference at all?

“Some animals are more equal than others.” – Animal Farm

"There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:  ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters." 

The pigs in George Orwell's  Animal Farm set out with pure intentions to create an egalitarian society amongst the barnyard animals. However, they slowly grew power hungry and ironically ended up establishing a dictatorship even worse than the former humans who ruled them. While the statement starts by saying ‘all animals are equal,' it goes on to say that ‘some are more equal than others,’ defeating the entire premise laid down in the first part of the statement. This highlights the hypocrisy of the pigs, whose previously secret disdain for other animals is now writ large. 

“Vintage, so adorable.” – Mean Girls

Regina:  Oh my God, I love your skirt! Where did you get it? Lea Edwards: It was my mom's in the '80s. Regina: Vintage, so adorable. Lea Edwards: Thanks!  (Lea leaves) Regina (quietly, to Cady): That is the ugliest effing skirt I've ever seen.

In line with her status as Queen Bee, Regina George gives another girl the ultimate stamp of approval by telling her, apropos of nothing, that she loves her skirt. However, she doesn’t mean one word of her compliment — this secretly sarcastic comment was a status play designed to show new girl Cady Heron the power and influence she wields at this high school.

Ready for more irony? Well, buckle up and check out our next post, which digs up a delicious serving of situational irony .

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• English Grammar
• Figures Of Speech

Irony - Definition, Types, Uses and Examples

Learning the figures of speech can help you make your writing a lot more interesting and descriptive. In this article, you will be introduced to the meaning and definition of irony, how it is formed and how it can be used. Also, check out the examples given for a clear idea of how irony works.

Table of Contents

What is irony – meaning and definition, the different types of irony, why use irony, some common examples of irony from literature, some examples of irony from movies and tv series, frequently asked questions on irony.

Irony is a rhetorical device that is used to express an intended meaning by using language that conveys the opposite meaning when taken literally. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the term ‘irony’ as “the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this”.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, irony is defined as “the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning”, and according to the Collins Dictionary, irony is “a subtle form of humour which involves saying things that you do not mean”. The Cambridge Dictionary defines irony as “the use of words that are the opposite of what you mean, as a way of being funny”.

Did you know that there are various types of irony? Well, if you did, great job! Those who did not know, here is a chance to learn what they are and the ways in which they can be used.

There are three main types of irony that can be employed when you are writing a short story, a play, an anecdote or even a novel. Take a look at each of the following.

• Dramatic irony is the type in which one or more characters in a story or a play is given no idea of a very important piece of information that would alter their lives and also change the course of the plot completely. Dramatic irony keeps the readers excited and sustains the interest in the happenings of the story. It lets the audience have sympathy for the characters in the story, instils fear in them and builds suspense. In simple terms, when dramatic irony is employed, the audience knows something that the characters have not yet found out or understood. William Shakespeare is known widely for the use of dramatic irony in most of his tragic plays. Christopher Marlowe, Jane Austen, Jonathan Swift and Thomas Hardy are some of the writers who made effective use of dramatic irony in their writings.
• Situational irony is the one in which the events in the story or play give the readers a result that is different from what they had been expecting to occur. This type of irony puts the protagonist of the story/play in a situation that demands a heavy price in order to get to their goal. It also aids in creating a ‘twist’. Who doesn’t like a good twist, right? This situation would push the character to a whole new level. It can also be used to communicate an intended message or moral to the audience. O. Henry, Kate Chopin, Christopher Marlowe, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare and Guy de Maupassant are some of the writers who made good use of situational irony in their works.
• Verbal irony is when the author has put the characters’ lines in such a way that the intended meaning is the exact opposite of what is being said. Unlike the other two types of irony, when verbal irony is used, the character knows the truth but uses irony intentionally in a sarcastic manner to reveal the hidden truth. Jonathan Swift, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Edgar Allen Poe and George Bernard Shaw are known for the use of verbal irony in their works.

There are specific reasons why authors make use of a particular rhetorical device in their writing. While some of it could be to make comparisons and indicate similarities, some others might to bring focus or create a humorous effect. Authors are seen using irony for some of the reasons given below:

• The first reason behind using irony is to emphasise a point that requires attention or the one that indicates a noticeable change in the character or plot.
• The next reason would be to make the readers pause for a second and think about what the author is actually trying to convey.
• Another reason is to depict the variance between what is happening, how everything at the moment occurs and what had been expected of the characters or the plot.
• Also, to induce a tone of sarcasm through the characters’ lines or the narrator’s description.

Above all this, the success of irony is achieved only when the target audience is able to realise the difference between what is being said and what is actually occurring.

Examples of Irony

Here are a few examples of irony for your reference.

Have a look at the following examples of the three types of irony from literature.

Examples of Dramatic Irony

• In the play, ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, Iago tries to manipulate Othello into believing that he is an honest man.

“Othello: I think thou dost.

And for I know thou ‘rt full of love and honesty

And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath…”

• William Shakespeare applies dramatic irony in the play ‘Macbeth’ as well. In the below lines, we see King Duncan expressing his absolute trust over Macbeth who would kill him.

“He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust”

• In ‘Oedipus Rex’ by Sophocles, you can see Oedipus saying that he would not fail to make sure to find who the murderer of his father is.
• “On these accounts I, as for my own father,

Will fight this fight, and follow out every clue,

Seeking to seize the author of his murder.”

Examples of Situational Irony

• Samuel Taylor Coleridge uses situational irony in his poem, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ in the lines,

“Water, water, every where,

Nor any drop to drink.”

• In William Shakespeare’s play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, you can see a great use of situational irony in the scene where Romeo finds Juliet lying as if dead and so kills himself. He says,

“O my love, my wife! Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.”

Juliet is seen waking up later to see that Romeo had killed himself, and so kills herself too.

• ‘The Gift of the Magi’ by O. Henry has an apt example of situational irony. The characters in the story – the husband and wife are seen to sell off their priced possessions in order to get the other a gift they would love. They, however, end up buying gifts that both of them can no longer use.

Examples of Verbal Irony

• The moment anyone thinks of verbal irony, the first example that comes to mind would be Antony’s speech about Brutus being an honourable man in the play, ‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare. He is seen to describe all the good that Caesar did and establish that in spite of all that, Antony said that Caesar was ambitious and that he was an honourable man. This is done for quite some time finally letting the audience understand who was in fact behind the death of Julius Caesar.
• “I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honourable man.”

• In the novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen, Darcy’s first impression of Elizabeth Bennet was contrary to the final outcome, hence making it an instance of verbal irony. He says, “She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me” , but ends up loving and marrying her in the end.
• In the play, ‘Pygmalion’ by George Bernard Shaw, you can see Mrs. Higgins using verbal irony to react to Prof. Higgins’ attitude and arrogance towards Eliza.

Higgins: ‘Don’t you dare try this game on me. I taught it to you; and it doesn’t take me in. Get up and come home; and don’t be a fool.”

Mrs. Higgins: ‘Very nicely put, indeed, Henry. No woman could resist such an invitation.”

To make learning irony a little more fun, here are a few examples of irony in some of the most-watched movies and TV series. Check out the examples below and try to analyse if you were able to see the irony in it when you watched the movie/TV series.

• In the movie Maleficent, you see Aurora going back to find Maleficent, the witch who cursed her when she was born, and developing a loving relationship with her. She, however, leaves her to go see her father and ends up in the dungeon pricking her finger on the needle and falling to eternal sleep, thereby fulfilling the curse. The whole time, the audience knows about all this and all of these events can be said to bring the effect of dramatic irony in the movie.
• Snow White is seen taking the apple that would put her into a deep sleep as the Wicked Stepmother had cursed in the movie, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’. It is an example of dramatic irony because the audience knows all along that the apple was the cursed apple and what it would do to Snow White.
• In ‘Aladdin’, the title character is given an opportunity to make three wishes and he is found wishing to be a prince and have all the riches in the world in order to marry Jasmine, the princess. However, his wish turns out to be ironic because the princess does not seem to be in any way attracted to him because of the riches and does not want to marry him.
• In ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S.’, the TV Series, Rachel is seen quitting her job as a waitress as she was fed up of serving coffee. Once she quits, she is so sure she does not have to serve coffee ever again. It becomes ironic when she gets a job in a field of her liking and all she has to do is serve coffee.

What is irony?

Irony is a rhetorical device that is used to express an intended meaning by using language that conveys the opposite meaning when taken literally.

What is the definition of irony?

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the term ‘irony’ as “the use of words that say the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke and with a tone of voice that shows this”. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, irony is defined as “the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning”, and according to the Collins Dictionary, irony is “a subtle form of humour which involves saying things that you do not mean”. The Cambridge Dictionary defines irony as “the use of words that are the opposite of what you mean, as a way of being funny”.

What are the types of irony?

There are three main types of irony and they are:

• Dramatic irony
• Situational irony
• Verbal irony

Give some examples of irony.

Given below are a few examples of irony that you can refer to.

Seeking to seize the author of his murder.” ( ‘Oedipus Rex’ by Sophocles)

And, sure, he is an honourable man.” (‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare)

• “She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.” (‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen)
• “O my love, my wife! Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.” (‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare)
• “He was a gentleman on whom I built an absolute trust.” (‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare)

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Verbal Irony - Definition and Examples

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

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• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Verbal irony is a  trope (or figure of speech ) in which the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express.

Verbal irony can occur at the level of the individual word or sentence ("Nice hair, Bozo"), or it may pervade an entire text, as in Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal."

Jan Swearingen reminds us that Aristotle equated verbal irony  with " understatement and verbal dissembling--that is with saying or expressing a veiled or guarded version of what one means" ( Rhetoric and Irony , 1991).

The expression verbal irony was first used in English criticism in 1833 by Bishop Connop Thirlwall in an article on the Greek playwright Sophocles.

• "In [the 1994 movie]  Reality Bites , Winona Ryder, applying for a newspaper job, is stumped when asked to 'define irony .' It’s a good question. Ryder replies, 'Well, I can’t really define irony . . . but I know it when I see it.' Really? " Irony requires an opposing meaning between what’s said and what’s intended. Sounds simple, but it’s not. A paradox , something that seems contradictory but may be true, is not an irony. The Times stylebook, which, believe me, can be harsh, offers useful advice: "The loose 'use of irony and ironically , to mean an incongruous turn of events, is trite. Not every coincidence, curiosity, oddity, and paradox is an irony, even loosely. And where irony does exist, sophisticated writing counts on the reader to recognize it.'" (Bob Harris, "Isn’t It Ironic? Probably Not." The New York Times , June 30, 2008)

Verbal Irony as Criticism

"What separates ironic comments from merely critical comments is that the intended criticism is often not obvious and not meant to be obvious to all participants (part of the face-saving factor). Let us compare the following examples which all share the same situational context: the addressee has once again left the door open. To get the hearer to close the door, a speaker may make any one of the following remarks:

(1) Shut the goddamn door! (2) Shut the door! (3) Please shut the door! (4) Would you please shut the door? (5) You always leave the door open. (6) The door seems to be open. (7) I am so glad you remembered to shut the door. (8) I think people who shut doors when it's cold outside are really considerate. (9) I love sitting in a draft.

Examples (1) through (4) are direct requests varying by the amount of politeness used. Examples (5) through (9) are indirect requests, and, except for (5), which functions as a complaint, are all ironic. Even though the request for action in (5) is indirect, the criticism is obvious, whereas in examples (6) through (9) the criticism is hidden to different degrees. We see here that irony is more than the mere opposition of a surface and an underlying reading. The speaker of (8) in all actuality probably believes that people who shut doors when it's cold outside are really considerate . Thus, there is no discernible opposition of a surface and an underlying reading. Nevertheless, examples like (8) should also be covered by any definition of irony." (Katharina Barbe, Irony in Context . John Benjamins, 1995)

Swift's Verbal Irony

"The simplest form of 'high relief' verbal irony is the antiphrastic praise for blame, for example, the 'Congratulations!' we offer to the 'smart Alec' who has let the side down. . . . [Jonathan] Swift's Directions to Servants , his satire of the faults and follies of servants, takes the form of advising them to do what they too frequently already do and reproducing their lame excuses as valid reasons: 'In Winter Time light the Dining-Room Fire but two Minutes before Dinner is served up, that your Master may see, how saving you are of his Coals.'" (Douglas Colin Muecke, Irony and the Ironic . Taylor & Francis, 1982)

Socratic Irony

• "The everyday irony that, today, we identify in simple cases of verbal 'irony' has its origin in [the] Socratic technique of eironeia . We use a word but expect others to recognise that there is more to what we are saying than the uses of everyday language." (Claire Colebrook, Irony . Routledge, 2004)
• "I value the privilege of sitting beside you very highly, for I have no doubt that you will fill me with an ample draught of the finest wisdom." (Socrates addressing Agathon in Plato's Symposium , c. 385-380 BC)
• " Verbal irony forms the basis for what we mean when we say irony. In ancient Greek comedy, there was a character called an eiron who seemed subservient, ignorant, weak, and he played off a pompous, arrogant, clueless figure called the alazon . Northrop Frye describes the alazon as the character 'who doesn't know that he doesn't know,' and that's just about perfect. What happens, as you can tell, is that the eiron spends most of his time verbally ridiculing, humiliating, undercutting, and generally getting the best of the alazon , who doesn't get it. But we do; irony works because the audience understands something that eludes one or more of the characters."  (Thomas C. Foster, How to Read Literature Like a Professor . HarperCollins, 2003)
• Auden's "Unknown Citizen" "Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for the time of year; When there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went. He was married and added five children to the population, Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation. And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education. Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard." (W. H. Auden, "The Unknown Citizen." Another Time , 1940)
• The Lighter Side of Verbal Irony Commander William T. Riker: Charming woman! Lt. Commander Data: [voice-over] The tone of Commander Riker's voice makes me suspect that he is not serious about finding Ambassador T'Pel charming. My experience suggests that in fact, he may mean the exact opposite of what he says. Irony is a form of expression I have not yet been able to master.​​ ("Data's Day," Star Trek: The Next Generation , 1991)

Also Known As: rhetorical irony, linguistic irony

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What is Irony?

• File photo. | Credit 6JP ClassBlog

Irony (also known as “illusio,” “dissimulatio,” “ironia,” “simulatio,” “the dry mock”; etymologically from the Greek root “eirōneía,” literally means “dissimulation” or “feigned ignorance”), is a rhetorical technique by which the surface meaning of what is said is different from the underlying meaning of what is intended.

Alternatively, irony can be defined as a form of speech in which what the speaker utters is the direct contrary of what he intends shall be understood; as with the following examples:

— (Goldsmith’s Essays, p. 150.)

— (1 Kings, xviii, 27.)

— (Cowper)

Types of Irony and Examples

As with some other figures of speech  Opens in new window , Irony brings about some added meanings to a situation. Ironical statements and situations in literature develop readers’ interest. Irony makes a work of literature more intriguing and forces the readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings of the texts.

Moreover, real life is full of ironical expressions and situations. On this note, Irony may be divided into three (3) sub-categories, namely:

• verbal irony ,
• dramatic irony , and
• situational irony .

1.   Verbal Irony

Verbal Irony is a type of irony which consists when a speaker uses masked words to express something in contrary to the intended meaning. This can be a form of decoy, in attempt to mask the speaker’s opinion especially where such opinion is deemed negative.

For instance, one might say “oh what a happy day” when actually it’s been raining all day.

2.   Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony usually takes place in movies and literary works. It’s a situation where the audience knows something that a particular character in the movie doesn’t know about.

Let’s refresh our memories by observing examples from some of the famous movies we probably have seen in the past.

The Lion King. Opens in new window — It was all revealed, that Scar killed Mufasa, ironically Simba doesn’t know this fact, and it created tension because Simba was in danger and worse still trusting Scar and doesn’t know Scar was behind all his misfortunes.

Frozen Opens in new window . — This is a movie with a fantastic example of dramatic irony. Ela has powers she could not control (and we “the audience” knew this fact), but Anna doesn’t know this and thinks her sister is unfriendly, where in actual sense, Ela is distant simply because she’s terrified of hurting her sister.

Little Mermaid. Opens in new window — In this exciting movie, it was all revealed, Ariel doesn’t know Ursula is only using her to get to Triton. Eric doesn’t know Ariel is a mermaid under a spell. Eric doesn’t know Vanessa is disguised to feign someone else to entice him away from Ariel. Likewise, Ariel and Scuttle don’t know the names for the stuffs we know, the likes of dinglehopper! Snarfblatt! which altogether enhances the comedic effect of the movie.

3.   Situational Irony

Situational Irony involves situations in which the manifested outcome is contrastable to what was expected.

There are contradictions and contrasts from expectation in the way things would naturally unfold, as for instance: where a fire station is caught up with fire, or when a police station got ransacked by burglars or even as it’s rampant these days to see clergies being the culprit of adultery.

Other examples of situational irony includes the following:

• When Cigar manufacturers warns “smokers are liable to die young” yet still producing more cigarette.
• When a classmate is complaining of Facebook being boring yet still posts updates on Facebook every other time.
• The meal taste awful complained a lady, yet she finishes her portion with no traces of crumbs.
• Oh too bad it’s Friday already, when in actual sense you are elated the weekend is here again.

The way of distinguishing an Irony from the real sentiments of the speaker or writer, are by the accent Opens in new window , the air, the extravagance of the praise, the character of the person, the idea of the thing, or the vein of the discourse: for if in handy of these respects there is any disagreement from the common sense of the words, it appears that one thing is spoken, and another is meant.

Similar Figures of Contraries

•  Antiphrasis Opens in new window
•  Epitrope Opens in new window
•  Litotes Opens in new window
•  Paralipsis Opens in new window
•  Sarcasm Opens in new window
• Wikipedia, Irony Opens in new window
• Literary Devices, Irony Opens in new window
• Silva Rhetoricae, Irony Opens in new window
• Your Dictionary.com, Examples of Irony Opens in new window
• Quintilian (9.2. p. 45-51);
• Aquil. (“ironia,” “simulation” p. 7);
• Susenbrotus (“ironia,” “illusion” 1540 p. 14-15);
• Sherry (“ironia,” “dissimulation” 1550 p. 45);
• Peacham (1577);
• Putt. (“ironia,” “the dry mock” 1589 p. 199

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Figure of Speech

Figure of Speech Definition

What is a figure of speech? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusual—or "figured"—way in order to produce a stylistic effect. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups: figures of speech that play with the ordinary meaning of words (such as metaphor , simile , and hyperbole ), and figures of speech that play with the ordinary arrangement or pattern in which words are written (such as alliteration , ellipsis , and antithesis ).

Some additional key details about figures of speech:

• The ancient Greeks and Romans exhaustively listed, defined, and categorized figures of speech in order to better understand how to effectively use language. The names of most figures of speech derive from the original Greek or Latin.
• Figures of speech that play with the literal meaning of words are called tropes , while figures of speech that play with the order or pattern of words are called schemes .
• Figures of speech can take many forms. A figure of speech can involve a single word, a phrase, an omission of a word or phrase, a repetition of words or sounds, or specific sentence structures.

Figure of Speech Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce figure of speech: fig -yer of speech

Figures of Speech vs. Figurative Language

There's a lot of confusion about the difference between the terms "figures of speech" and " figurative language ." Most of the confusion stems from the fact that different people often use "figurative language" to mean slightly different things. The two most common (and most acceptable) definitions of figurative language are:

• Figurative language refers to any language that contains figures of speech. According to this definition, figurative language and figures of speech are not quite the same thing, but it's pretty darn close. The only difference is that figures of speech refer to each specific type of a figure of speech, while figurative language refers more generally to any language that contains any kind of figures of speech.
• Figurative language refers to words or expressions that have non-literal meanings : This definition associates figurative language only with the category of figures of speech called tropes (which are figures of speech that play with the literal meaning of words). So according to this definition, figurative language would be any language that contains tropes, but not language that contains the figures of speech called schemes.

You might encounter people using figurative speech to mean either of the above, and it's not really possible to say which is correct. But if you know about these two different ways of relating figurative language and figures of speech, you'll be in pretty good shape.

Figures of Speech, Tropes, and Schemes

The oldest and still most common way to organize figures of speech is to split them into two main groups: tropes and schemes.

• Tropes are figures of speech that involve a deviation from the expected and literal meaning of words.
• Schemes are figures of speech that involve a deviation from the typical mechanics of a sentence, such as the order, pattern, or arrangement of words.

The scheme/trope classification system is by no means the only way to organize figures of speech (if you're interested, you can find all sorts of different categorization methods for figures of speech here ). But it is the most common method, and is both simple and structured enough to help you understand figures of speech.

Generally, a trope uses comparison, association, or wordplay to play with the literal meaning of words or to layer another meaning on top of a word's literal meaning. Some of the most commonly used tropes are explained briefly below, though you can get even more detail on each from its specific LitCharts entry.

• Metaphor : A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another thing, even though this isn't literally true. For example, if someone says "it's raining cats and dogs," this obviously doesn't literally mean what it says—it's a metaphor that makes a comparison between the weight of "cats and dogs" and heavy rain. Metaphors are tropes because their effect relies not on the mechanics of the sentence, but rather on the association created by the use of the phrase "cats and dogs" in a non-literal manner.
• Simile : A simile, like a metaphor, makes a comparison between two unrelated things. However, instead of stating that one thing is another thing (as in metaphor), a simile states that one thing is like another thing. To stick with cats and dogs, an example of a simile would be to say "they fought like cats and dogs."
• Oxymoron : An oxymoron pairs contradictory words in order to express new or complex meanings. In the phrase "parting is such sweet sorrow" from Romeo and Juliet , "sweet sorrow" is an oxymoron that captures the complex and simultaneous feelings of pain and pleasure associated with passionate love. Oxymorons are tropes because their effect comes from a combination of the two words that goes beyond the literal meanings of those words.
• Hyperbole : A hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration of the truth, used to emphasize the importance of something or to create a comic effect. An example of a hyperbole is to say that a backpack "weighs a ton." No backpack literally weighs a ton, but to say "my backpack weighs ten pounds" doesn't effectively communicate how burdensome a heavy backpack feels. Once again, this is a trope because its effect comes from understanding that the words mean something different from what they literally say.

Other Common Tropes

• Antanaclasis
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Periphrasis
• Rhetorical Question

Schemes are mechanical—they're figures of speech that tinker with words, sounds, and structures (as opposed to meanings) in order to achieve an effect. Schemes can themselves be broken down in helpful ways that define the sort of tinkering they employ.

• Repetition: Repeating words, phrases, or even sounds in a particular way.
• Omission: Leaving out certain words or punctuation that would normally be expected.
• Changes of word order: Shifting around words or phrases in atypical ways.
• Balance: Creating sentences or phrases with equal parts, often through the use of identical grammatical structures.

Some of the most commonly used schemes are explained briefly below, though you can get even more detail on each from its specific LitCharts entry.

• Alliteration : In alliteration, the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “ B ob b rought the b ox of b ricks to the b asement.” Alliteration uses repetition to create a musical effect that helps phrases to stand out from the language around them.
• Assonance : A scheme in which vowel sounds repeat in nearby words, such as the "ee" sound in the proverb: "the squ ea ky wh ee l gets the gr ea se." Like alliteration, assonance uses repeated sounds to create a musical effect in which words echo one another—it's a scheme because this effect is achieved through repetition of words with certain sounds, not by playing with the meaning of words.
• Ellipsis : The deliberate omission of one or more words from a sentence because their meaning is already implied. In the example, "Should I call you, or you me?" the second clause uses ellipsis. While its implication is "or should you call me," the context of the sentence allows for the omission of "should" and "call." Ellipsis is a scheme because it involves an uncommon usage of language.
• Parallelism : The repetition of sentence structure for emphasis and balance. This can occur in a single sentence, such as "a penny saved is a penny earned," and it can also occur over the course of a speech, poem, or other text. Parallelism is a scheme because it creates emphasis through the mechanics of sentence structure, rather than by playing with the actual meanings of words.

Other Common Schemes

• Anadiplosis
• Antimetabole
• Brachylogia
• Epanalepsis
• Parenthesis
• Polysyndeton

Figure of Speech Examples

Figures of speech can make language more inventive, more beautiful, more rhythmic, more memorable, and more meaningful. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that figures of speech are plentiful in all sorts of written language. The examples below show a variety of different types of figures of speech. You can see many more examples of each type at their own specific LitChart entries.

Figures of Speech Examples in Literature

Literature is riddled with figures of speech because figures of speech make language colorful and complex.

Metaphor in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca

On and on, now east now west, wound the poor thread that once had been our drive. Sometimes I thought it lost, but it appeared again, beneath a fallen tree perhaps, or struggling on the other side of a muddied ditch created by the winter rains.

In this quote from Rebecca , Daphne du Maurier refers to a washed-out road as "the poor thread." This is a metaphor —and a trope—because the writer indirectly compares the thread to the road and expects that readers will understand that "thread" is not used literally.

Parallelism in Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

In the famous opening line of A Tale of Two Cities , Dickens uses parallelism —a scheme in which parts of a sentence repeat—in order to emphasize the contradictions of the time in which the book is set. Dickens has manipulated his sentence structure so that the parallel clauses emphasize the oppositional nature of his words ("it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"). The figure of speech doesn't play with the meaning of words, it emphasizes them through structure and repetition, which is why it is a scheme.

Alliteration in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark"

In this manner, s electing it as the s ymbol of his wife's liability to s in, s orrow, d ecay, and d eath, Aylmer's s ombre imagination was not long in rendering the birthmark a frightful object, causing him more trouble and horror than ever Georgiana's beauty, whether of s oul or s ense, had given him delight.

This passage from " The Birthmark " uses alliteration to tie together all of the things that Georgiana's birthmark is supposed to symbolize. By using words that alliterate—"sin and sorrow" and "decay and death," for example—Hawthorne is making the reader feel that these ideas are connected, rather than simply stating that they are connected. Alliteration is a figure of speech—a scheme—because it uses the mechanics of language to emphasize meaning.

Verbal Irony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

For Brutus is an honorable man; So are they all, all honorable men,

This quote from Julius Caesar comes from Marc Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral. Antony needs to hold Brutus and his conspirators accountable for Caesar's death without contradicting the crowd's positive impression of Brutus, so Antony uses verbal irony to simultaneously please and trouble the crowd. On the surface, Antony says what the audience wants to hear (that Brutus is honorable), but it becomes clear over the course of his speech that he means the opposite of what he says (and over time he convinces the audience to believe this opposite meaning as well). This is a figure of speech (a trope) because it's based on a play on the meaning of Antony's words.

Figures of Speech Examples in Music

Figures of speech are also common in music. Schemes fit naturally with songs because both schemes and songs manipulate sound and rhythm to enhance the meanings of words. Music also uses many tropes, because using words that have meanings beyond their literal ones makes language more interesting, and it allows songwriters to create music that uses just a few words to imply a complex meaning.

Assonance and Metaphor in Rihanna's "Diamonds"

So sh ine br igh t ton igh t, you and I We're beautiful l i ke d i amonds in the sk y Eye to eye , so al i ve We're beautiful l i ke d i amonds in the sk y

Rihanna uses assonance when she repeats the " eye " sound throughout the chorus of "Diamonds." This make the words echo one another, which emphasizes the similarity between the singer, the person she's talking about, and the "diamonds in the sky" to which she's comparing them both. Assonance is a scheme because it's using the sound of words—not their meaning—to draw a parallel between different things.

Rihanna also uses the phrase "Diamonds in the sky" as a metaphor for stars. This is a trope—a phrase that means something other than what it literally says—as Rihanna obviously doesn't think that there are actually diamonds in the sky. This verse is a good example of how figures of speech can often work together and overlap. In this case, the metaphor that allows her to use "diamonds" instead of "stars" also fits into her use of assonance (because "stars" lacks the "eye" sound).

Personification in Green Day's "Good Riddance"

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

While the first line of this song uses "a fork stuck in the road" as a metaphor for a choice, the more arresting figure of speech at work here is the personification of time in the second line. By giving "time" human characteristics—the ability to grab a person and tell them where to go—Green Day is helping listeners to make sense of the power that time has over people. This is a trope because the line doesn't mean what it literally says; instead, it's asking listeners to make a comparison between the characteristics of time and the characteristics of a person.

Anastrophe in Public Enemy's "Fight the Power"

Straight up racist that sucker was Simple and plain

In the line "Straight up racist that sucker was," Public Enemy uses anastrophe (which is the inversion of typical word order) to preserve the rhythm of the verse. Instead of saying "That sucker was straight up racist," Public Enemy chooses an odd phrasing that has one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables— " ra cist that su cker was/ Sim ple and plain ." This way, the beat falls more regularly across those two lines, which allows the rapper to make his point (that Elvis was racist) without the flow sounding awkward. Since anastrophe manipulates the order of words in order to achieve a rhythmic effect, it's a scheme.

Why Do Writers Use Figures of Speech?

Figures of speech is a category that encompasses a broad variety of literary terms, so it's difficult to give one answer to this question. Writers use different figures of speech to achieve different effects.

Schemes (figures of speech that manipulate sound, syntax, and word order) can make language more beautiful, persuasive, or memorable. Writers can use schemes to draw attention to an important passage, to create a sound that mirrors (or contrasts with) the meaning of words, or to give language a rhythm that draws the reader in. As schemes tend to work through sound and rhythm, they generally produce a visceral effect, or an effect felt in the body—broadly speaking, schemes are more sensory than intellectual.

In contrast, writers use tropes to grab the reader intellectually by adding complexity or ambiguity to an otherwise simple word or phrase. Tropes can ask the reader to make a comparison between two unlike things, they can impose human qualities on nonhumans, and they can mean the opposite of what they say. Tropes engage the intellect because the reader has to be alert to the fact that tropes do not use language at face value—a trope never means what it literally says.

All figures of speech help a writer to communicate ideas that are difficult to say in words or that are more effectively communicated non-verbally. This could be by repeating harsh consonants to create a scary atmosphere, or by using a metaphor to impose the qualities of something concrete (say, a rose) onto something more difficult to define (say, love). In general, figures of speech attempt to bring out a reader's emotion and to capture their attention by making language more colorful, surprising, and complex.

Other Helpful Figure of Speech Resources

• Silva Rhetoricae on Figures of Speech : An excellent reference from BYU that explains the various ways that figures of speech have been categorized over history, including into schemes and tropes.
• Silva Rhetoricae on schemes and tropes :
• The Oxford Reference Page for Figure of Speech : A helpful definition of figures of speech in the context of the ancient study of rhetoric (did you know that the Roman rhetorician Quintillian defined "figure of speech" in 95 AD?)
• What Are Tropes in Language? Skip to the "Distinction Between Figures and Tropes" section and read to the end—full of informative and thought-provoking discussion about tropes.
• A YouTube video about tropes and schemes with pop culture examples.

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Irony Figure of Speech

Figures of speech are literary devices which are used to convey ideas that go beyond their literal meaning. In English, there are more than 200 different  types of figures of speech . 

The Irony figure of speech is one of them.

Irony Figure of speech Meaning

Verbal irony  is a figure of speech where the speaker says the exact opposite of what he or she intends. Some writers use verbal irony to indirectly criticise or mock.

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Dramatic irony  is a figure of speech where the audience or the reader knows more about the outcome of the story than the character in a film, novel or play.

Situational irony  is where there is deviance from what is often expected from the situation.

• John is the busiest man I know. Between gambling and sleeping, he barely finds time for work. (By saying he barely finds time to work, the writer intends to criticise John who is whiling away his time sleeping and gambling.)
• The most discreet person in the office is Lisa who cannot help discussing sordid details of her private life with anyone who comes her way. (By calling her ‘The most discreet person,’ the speaker goes on to narrate Lisa‘s indiscretion.)

Irony Figure of speech Examples

“Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge , The Rime of the Ancient Mariner In Sophocles‘ ‘Oedipus Rex‘, the King ventures out to find the murderer of King Laius without realising he himself is the murderer.

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Irony Examples: Figure of Speech For Students

admin February 28, 2019 Figures of Speech 5,401 Views

Irony Examples:

Ironical statements.

• One of the identical twins says to the other, “You’re ugly!”
• I saw a fish drowning.
• Many things can be preserved in alcohol. Dignity is not one of them.
• Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.
• Marriage is the leading cause of divorce
• I have been down so long, it looks like up to me.

Coincidental Ironies

• Britain’s biggest dog was named Tiny.
• Two marriage therapists got divorced from each other.
• Most tobacco company executives don’t smoke.
• Titanic, which was touted as “100% unsinkable”, sank on its maiden voyage.
• The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive.
• A ninety-eight year old man won the lottery and died the next day.
• My friend, who is an incredibly successful artist and writer, often has dreams that are bland and dull.
• A class on prophecy at a church was postponed due to some unforeseen circumstance
• Do you know that fear for a long word is called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedalio phobia?
• Hitler ‘s Grandmother was Jewish.
• The only reason there are evil people in the world is because there are good people in the world.
• A man died in his living room!
• Canada is owned by Britain, yet half the people there speak French.
• Coffee City is a city in Texas, mostly visited to buy beer.
• My family owns a dairy, I work at a frozen yogurt shop and I just found out I’m lactose intolerant.
• The world’s largest ice cream cone is made by a factory called ‘Tiny Dairies’!
• The owner of a butcher shop is a vegetarian!
• A restaurant called “Hard Times Cafe” has closed down because of the recession!
• The water vendor died of thirst!
• A restaurant with the name “Firewood Cafe” was actually on fire!
• The dictionary entry for “short” is really, really long!
• The only word that you spelled right in this spelling test is “illiterate”.
• “Stand by your Man” is one of the biggest hit songs sung by Tammy Wynette’s who has been married six times in her real life.
• Do you know that there is a song about the phobia of music?
• The White House isn’t white.
• I put on an outfit in the morning and didn’t like it, after spending an hour trying on other clothes, I ended up trying back on the same outfit I started with and wore it for the day.
• A seminar on Global Warming was cancelled due to snow.
• An obese teacher is teaching the class about healthy food or physical exercise!
• A class on “planning and scheduling” was cancelled due to poor planning.
• An atheist sues for religious discrimination

Situational Irony

• Posting a video about how boring and useless Facebook is on Facebook.
• My friend said he can’t go to church because he has a theology test to study for!
• The firehouse burns down.
• The police station was robbed.
• The teacher failed the test.
• The student who didn’t study passed the test.
• The marriage counselor gets a divorce
• “Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.”
• A girl was going on about how she wouldn’t hurt animals when I noticed she was wearing a leather belt.
• He is a pilot but, is afraid of heights.

Irony Examples In Literature

• “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honorable man” – Julius Caesar.
• Romeo returns to Verona and he finds Juliet drugged, in a death-like sleep. He assumes she is dead and kills himself. When Juliet wakes up and finds him dead, she kills herself with his knife – Romeo and Juliet.
• Ray Bradbury’s book Fahrenheit 451 is consistently on the top 100 list of banned books in the US .

Ironical News

• Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, the self-styled “eternal revolutionary”, who took power in a coup 42 years ago, is himself being deposed in a revolution.
• A Harvard University fellow, who was studying ethics, was charged with hacking into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s computer network to steal nearly 5 million academic articles.

Being a part of speech used on a regular basis, ironies are familiar to many of us. Of course, we never look into whether the usage is correct or not, but it is always better to learn about the different kinds of ironies and their usages. It is very important as there are chances that sometimes you may even get confused with much similar concept of sarcasm. Though both irony and sarcasm appear to be overlapping, both of them are totally different concepts. Hope the examples given in this article helped you to understand the concept ‘irony’ better.

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Figure of Speech

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Figures of speech are linguistic tools that enhance writing and speech by adding emphasis, clarity, or flair. They involve the use of words in non-literal ways to create vivid imagery and express complex ideas more effectively. By employing techniques like metaphor , simile , and hyperbole , figures of speech enrich communication, making it more engaging and memorable for the audience. These devices are essential in both literature and everyday language.

What is a Figure of Speech?

A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that enhances language by deviating from ordinary usage to create emphasis, clarity, or creativity. Common examples include metaphors, similes, personification , and hyperbole. These devices make writing more engaging, vivid, and memorable, allowing for imaginative and impactful expression of ideas.

Types of Figures of Speech

A simile compares two different things using “like” or “as” to highlight a similarity.

• Her smile is as bright as the sun.
• He is as brave as a lion.
• The water is as clear as crystal.
• She sings like an angel.
• His explanation was as clear as mud.

2. Metaphor

A metaphor directly compares two unlike things without using “like” or “as”.

• Time is a thief.
• He has a heart of stone.
• The classroom was a zoo.
• Her voice is music to my ears.
• The world is a stage.

3. Personification

Personification gives human qualities to animals, objects, or ideas.

• The wind whispered through the trees.
• The flowers danced in the breeze.
• The car groaned as it climbed the hill.
• Time flies when you’re having fun.
• The moon smiled down on us.

4. Hyperbole

Hyperbole involves exaggerated statements for emphasis or effect.

• I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
• She has a million pairs of shoes.
• This bag weighs a ton.
• I’ve told you a thousand times.
• He runs faster than the wind.

5. Understatement

An understatement makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is.

• “It’s just a scratch,” he said about the deep wound.
• Winning the lottery wasn’t a big deal to him.
• “I did okay,” she said after scoring the highest.
• The storm brought a little rain, he said about the hurricane.
• The test was somewhat challenging, said about a very difficult exam.

Irony involves saying one thing but meaning the opposite, often for humorous or emphatic effect.

• A fire station burns down.
• A plumber’s house has leaking pipes.
• A pilot has a fear of heights.
• Saying “Great!” after failing a test.
• The police station gets robbed.

7. Oxymoron

An oxymoron combines two contradictory terms.

• Deafening silence
• Jumbo shrimp
• Bitter sweet
• Living dead
• Act naturally

8. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the initial consonant sounds in closely connected words.

• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
• She sells seashells by the seashore.
• Timmy’s tiny turtle.
• Big brown bear.
• Friendly firefly.

9. Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate the sound they describe.

• The bees buzzed.
• The cat meowed.
• The clock ticked.
• The car honked.
• The rain pitter-pattered on the roof.

A pun is a play on words, often for a humorous effect.

• I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.
• Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
• A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tired.
• I’ve been to the dentist many times, so I know the drill.
• Reading while sunbathing makes you well-red.

11. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

• “I have a dream” in Martin Luther King’s speech.
• Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.
• We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds.
• It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
• With malice toward none; with charity for all.

12. Euphemism

A euphemism is a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt.

• Passed away instead of died.
• Let go instead of fired.
• Correctional facility instead of jail.
• Economical with the truth instead of lying.
• Between jobs instead of unemployed.

13. Metonymy

Metonymy replaces the name of something with something else closely related to it.

• The pen is mightier than the sword (pen refers to writing, sword to fighting).
• The White House issued a statement (White House refers to the President or staff).
• The crown will find an heir (crown refers to monarchy).
• Hollywood is obsessed with sequels (Hollywood refers to the film industry).
• The suits on Wall Street walked off with most of our savings (suits refers to business people).

14. Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

• All hands on deck (hands refer to sailors).
• Nice wheels (wheels refer to the car).
• The hired hands (hands refer to workers).
• The White House (referring to the President or staff).
• New faces (referring to new people).

15. Antithesis

Antithesis juxtaposes two contrasting ideas in a balanced way.

• Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
• Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing.
• That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
• To err is human; to forgive, divine.

16. Litotes

Litotes is an understatement in which a positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite.

• Not bad (meaning good).
• She’s not unkind (meaning kind).
• He’s no fool (meaning smart).
• It’s not impossible (meaning possible).
• I’m not unhappy (meaning happy).

17. Apostrophe

Apostrophe addresses someone absent, dead, or something non-human as if it were alive and present.

• O Death, where is thy sting?
• Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
• Hello darkness, my old friend.
• Is this a dagger which I see before me?
• O, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

18. Allusion

Allusion is an indirect reference to a person, event, or piece of literature.

• He was a real Romeo with the ladies.
• She had a Cinderella story.
• He’s a Scrooge when it comes to money.
• This place is like a Garden of Eden.
• Don’t act like a Judas.

19. Paradox

A paradox is a statement that appears contradictory but reveals a truth.

• Less is more.
• I know one thing: that I know nothing.
• The beginning of the end.
• I am nobody.
• This is the beginning of the end.

20. Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures.

• Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You.
• Do I love you because you’re beautiful? Or are you beautiful because I love you?
• You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.
• Fair is foul, and foul is fair.
• It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men.

Importance of Figure of Speech

Figures of speech play a crucial role in enhancing the beauty and effectiveness of language. Here are some key reasons why they are important:

1. Enhances Expressiveness

Figures of speech add depth and emotion to writing and speech, making communication more engaging and memorable. They help convey feelings and ideas in a more impactful way.

2. Creates Vivid Imagery

By using metaphors, similes, and other devices, figures of speech create vivid mental images for the reader or listener. This helps in visualizing the concepts and scenarios being described, making the content more relatable and interesting.

3. Adds Emphasis

Figures of speech, such as hyperbole and alliteration, emphasize certain points or ideas, drawing attention to important aspects of the message. This helps in reinforcing the intended message effectively.

4. Enhances Creativity

Using figures of speech allows writers and speakers to be more creative with their language. It encourages thinking outside the box and using language in unique ways to express ideas.

5. Improves Clarity

Paradoxically, figures of speech can make complex ideas easier to understand by comparing them to more familiar concepts. Analogies and metaphors, for example, simplify abstract ideas and make them more comprehensible.

6. Engages the Audience

Figures of speech make language more engaging and enjoyable. They capture the audience’s attention and hold their interest, making the communication more effective.

7. Adds Humor

Devices like puns and irony introduce humor into language, making the content more enjoyable and entertaining. This can make the message more memorable and easier to digest.

8. Reflects Cultural Context

Figures of speech often reflect cultural and societal norms, values, and beliefs. They can provide insights into the culture and context of the language being used, enriching the communication experience.

9. Encourages Critical Thinking

Interpreting figures of speech often requires critical thinking and interpretation. This encourages the audience to think more deeply about the language and the ideas being presented.

10. Enhances Persuasiveness

In rhetoric, figures of speech are powerful tools for persuasion. They help in building arguments, appealing to emotions, and convincing the audience of a particular viewpoint.

Figure of Speech Examples:

Figure of speech examples in literature.

Figures of speech are rhetorical devices used to convey meaning or create effects in writing. Here are examples of various figures of speech in literature:

• Example : “Her smile was as bright as the sun.” (John Steinbeck, East of Eden )
• Example : “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It )
• Example : “The wind whispered through the trees.” (Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter )
• Example : “I had to wait an eternity for the bus.” (Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude )
• Example : “It’s just a scratch,” he said, as blood gushed from the wound. (J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye )
• Example : “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet )
• Example : “I must be cruel to be kind.” (William Shakespeare, Hamlet )
• Example : “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” (Traditional Tongue Twister)
• Example : “The bees buzzed, and the brook gurgled.” (Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Brook )
• Synecdoche : A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole.
• Example : “All hands on deck.” (Herman Melville, Moby Dick )
• Metonymy : Substituting the name of one thing with something closely related to it.
• Example : “The pen is mightier than the sword.” (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy )
• Irony : A contrast between expectation and reality.
• Example : “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice )
• Apostrophe : Addressing an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction.
• Example : “O Death, where is thy sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, The Bible)
• Anaphora : The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.
• Example : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities )
• Pun : A play on words with humorous effect.
• Example : “A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it is two-tired.” (Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe )

Figure of Speech Examples Sentences

ere are sentences exemplifying various figures of speech:

• Simile : “Her laughter was like music to his ears.”
• Metaphor : “Time is a thief that steals our moments.”
• Personification : “The old house groaned in the wind.”
• Hyperbole : “I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!”
• Understatement : “It’s just a small scratch,” he said, looking at the dented car.
• Oxymoron : “The silence was deafening.”
• Paradox : “Less is more.”
• Alliteration : “Sally sells seashells by the seashore.”
• Onomatopoeia : “The bees buzzed angrily around the hive.”
• Synecdoche : “Check out my new wheels,” he said, referring to his car.
• Metonymy : “The White House issued a statement today.”
• Irony : “A fire station burned down.”
• Apostrophe : “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.”
• Anaphora : “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
• Pun : “I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.”

Figure of Speech Examples for Kids

Here are examples of figures of speech that are easy for kids to understand, with sentences:

• Example : “Her smile was as bright as the sun.”
• Example : “He was a lion in the fight.”
• Example : “The wind whispered through the trees.”
• Example : “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
• Example : “It’s just a little rain,” she said during the storm.
• Example : “The jumbo shrimp was delicious.”
• Example : “You have to be cruel to be kind.”
• Example : “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
• Example : “The bees buzzed around the flowers.”
• Example : “All hands on deck.”
• Example : “The crown announced a new law.”
• Example : “A plumber’s house always has leaky pipes.”
• Example : “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.”
• Example : “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
• Example : “I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.”

Metaphor Figure of Speech Examples

Here are examples of metaphors, a figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable:

• Meaning: Life is like a play; people are actors with roles to play.
• Meaning: Time takes away moments of our lives, just as a thief takes possessions.
• Meaning: He is very unemotional or unfeeling.
• Meaning: The classroom was noisy and chaotic.
• Meaning: She is very cheerful and lively.
• Meaning: Life is full of experiences and changes, similar to traveling.
• Meaning: The assignment was very easy to complete.
• Meaning: Her voice is very pleasing to hear.
• Meaning: He stays up late and is active at night.
• Meaning: The snow covers everything like a blanket covers a bed.
• Meaning: His words were very hurtful.
• Meaning: Life has many challenges and difficult times.
• Meaning: She brings joy and happiness into my life.
• Meaning: The stars were bright and sparkly like diamonds.
• Meaning: The test was very easy.

Hyperbole Figure of Speech Examples

Here are examples of hyperbole, a figure of speech that involves exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally:

• Meaning: I am extremely hungry.
• Meaning: I’ve told you many times to clean your room.
• Meaning: This bag is very heavy.
• Meaning: I have a lot of homework.
• Meaning: It will take a very long time to get there.
• Meaning: He’s running very fast.
• Meaning: I am laughing very hard.
• Meaning: She cried a lot.
• Meaning: This day is very bad.
• Meaning: My backpack is very heavy.
• Meaning: I have a lot of things to do today.
• Meaning: He is not very intelligent.
• Meaning: I waited in line for a very long time.
• Meaning: He is very tall.
• Meaning: I am very tired and need a lot of sleep.

Apostrophe Figure of Speech Examples

Here are examples of apostrophe, a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or a personified abstraction:

• Juliet is addressing Romeo, who is not present.
• The speaker is addressing a star.
• The speaker is addressing death and the grave.
• The speaker is addressing the deceased captain.
• Lady Macbeth is addressing spirits.
• Macbeth is addressing an imagined dagger.
• Mark Antony is addressing Caesar’s dead body.
• The speaker is addressing the ocean.
• Satan is addressing the sun.
• King Lear is addressing the winds.

Repetition Figure of Speech Examples

Repetition is a figure of speech where words or phrases are repeated to emphasize a point or create a rhythm. Here are examples of different types of repetition:

• Example : “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.” (Emile Coué)
• Example : “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
• Example : “The truth is not this, the truth is not that, the truth is unchangeable.”
• Example : “The horror, the horror!” (Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness )
• Example : “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” (Yoda, Star Wars )
• Example : “Do I love you because you are beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?” (Oscar Hammerstein II, Cinderella )
• Example : “To be, or not to be!” (William Shakespeare, Hamlet )
• Example : “We have ships and men and money and stores.”
• Example : “I came, I saw, I conquered.” (Julius Caesar)
• Example : “The king is dead; long live the king!”

How to Use a Figure of Speech in English?

Figures of speech are powerful tools that can enhance your writing and speech. Here’s a guide on how to effectively use various figures of speech:

1. Metaphor

Usage: Use metaphors to draw direct comparisons between two unrelated things, highlighting their similarities. Example: “The classroom was a zoo.” Explanation: This metaphor compares the classroom to a zoo, emphasizing chaos and activity.

Usage: Use similes to compare two different things using “like” or “as” to make descriptions more vivid. Example: “Her smile was as bright as the sun.” Explanation: This simile compares the brightness of her smile to the sun, emphasizing its radiance.

Usage: Use personification to give human qualities to non-human objects or abstract ideas, making them more relatable. Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.” Explanation: This personification gives the wind the human ability to whisper, creating a more engaging image.

Usage: Use hyperbole for exaggeration to emphasize a point or evoke strong feelings. Example: “I’ve told you a million times.” Explanation: This hyperbole exaggerates the number of times something has been said, emphasizing frustration.

5. Alliteration

Usage: Use alliteration to repeat the same initial consonant sound in a series of words, adding rhythm and musicality. Example: “She sells seashells by the seashore.” Explanation: The repetition of the ‘s’ sound creates a pleasing rhythm and enhances memorability.

6. Onomatopoeia

Usage: Use onomatopoeia to mimic natural sounds, enhancing the sensory experience of the reader or listener. Example: “The bees buzzed in the garden.” Explanation: The word “buzzed” imitates the sound of bees, making the description more vivid.

Usage: Use oxymorons to combine contradictory terms, revealing deeper meanings or creating dramatic effects. Example: “Bittersweet memories.” Explanation: The combination of “bitter” and “sweet” suggests complex emotions associated with the memories.

Usage: Use irony to convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning, often highlighting discrepancies or unexpected outcomes. Example: “A pilot afraid of heights.” Explanation: The irony lies in the unexpected and contradictory fear of a pilot.

9. Euphemism

Usage: Use euphemisms to replace harsh or blunt terms with milder or more indirect expressions. Example: “He passed away.” Explanation: This euphemism is used instead of saying “he died,” making the statement softer.

Usage: Use puns to play on words with multiple meanings or similar sounds for humorous or rhetorical effect. Example: “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” Explanation: This pun plays on the dual meanings of “flies” and “like,” creating a humorous effect.

11. Synecdoche

Usage: Use synecdoche to refer to a part of something to represent the whole, or vice versa. Example: “All hands on deck.” Explanation: “Hands” represents the sailors, using a part to refer to the whole group.

12. Metonymy

Usage: Use metonymy to replace the name of something with the name of something else closely associated with it. Example: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Explanation: “Pen” represents writing or diplomacy, while “sword” represents military force.

13. Apostrophe

Usage: Use apostrophe to address a person or entity not present, often to express deep emotion. Example: “O Death, where is thy sting?” Explanation: The speaker directly addresses Death, personifying and dramatizing the concept.

14. Anaphora

Usage: Use anaphora to repeat words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses for emphasis and rhythm. Example: “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.” Explanation: The repetition of “every” emphasizes the ongoing process of improvement.

Usage: Use antithesis to juxtapose contrasting ideas, highlighting differences and creating tension. Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Explanation: The contrast between “best” and “worst” emphasizes the extremes of the situation.

What is a figure of speech?

A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that uses language in a non-literal or unusual way to create a particular effect or meaning.

Why are figures of speech important?

Figures of speech enhance expressiveness, add vivid imagery, emphasize points, and engage the audience, making communication more effective and memorable.

What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?

A simile uses “like” or “as” to compare two things, while a metaphor directly states that one thing is another.

Can you give an example of personification?

Sure! “The wind whispered through the trees” gives human traits (whispering) to the wind, making it more relatable and vivid.

What is hyperbole?

Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, such as “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

How does alliteration enhance writing?

Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, adds rhythm, musicality, and emphasis to writing, making it more engaging and memorable.

What is the purpose of using irony?

Irony highlights discrepancies between expectations and reality, often to create humor or emphasize a point, adding depth to the message.

How do puns work in language?

Puns play on words with multiple meanings or similar sounds to create humor or a rhetorical effect, making language playful and engaging.

What is the effect of using an oxymoron?

An oxymoron combines contradictory terms to reveal deeper truths, create dramatic effects, or highlight complex emotions, such as “bittersweet.”

How can figures of speech improve my writing?

Figures of speech add expressiveness, clarity, and creativity to your writing, making it more engaging, memorable, and impactful for the audience.

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Irony Figure of Speech: Let’s Learn about a Significant Aspect of English Grammar

Ironical phrases are said and heard by everyone but do you know what an ironic figure of speech is? Well, these are the sentences that have a fair bit of contradiction between what is said and what it means. These words are used both professionally and personally to create fun, creativity, or different expressions.

Let’s learn about its types along with the examples so that next time you can use them before others or before those who use them to you. It should be grabbed by you perfectly to be magnificent. So, move ahead to the body of the article to find everything about the irony figure of speech.

Also Read: 10 Pronunciations You Should Avoid

What is an Ironic Figure of Speech?

If you want to know about the meaning of Irony, here it is. It is a figure of speech. The irony is one of the most widely- known literary devices, which is used to express a strong emotion or raise a point.

Talking about it more, irony refers to the use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of what is said. It is used in the sentence to convey something else with some other words. It shows the game and magic of words.

You must reply to a person after understanding what he/she is trying to convey. If you don’t know about irony, it’s likely that you don’t understand the sentence and will not give a perfect response.

So, learn this figure of speech to be wonderful and greater understanding.

Irony Meaning

The irony is a contradiction between words and expressions. It confuses the other person about what you said and what you meant. The irony figure of speech is characterized by contrast and incongruity between reality and appearance. You will think about the words and their actual meaning. Have a look at this example.

For example, if a traffic officer has confiscated a man’s license. Then the man can say, “Thank you, Officer, now that you have my license I can’t drive”.

In the above sentence, the man was heavily angry and irritated by the act of the traffic officer because he had confiscated the man’s license but instead of expressing his anger fairly, he used irony to thank him for the same.

Also Read: 7 Frequently Used English Phrases

Types of Irony

Three types of irony figures of speech are known. This article will give you the meaning of these irony types along with the examples. So, let’s start.

#1. Verbal Irony

The verbal irony is a contrast between what is said and what is meant. It shows the contradiction between words and expressions.

For example:

#. After looking at a student’s poor test score, the teacher says, “You will surely finish the year with the highest honours”. #. A man tastes his wife’s delicious home-cooked meal and exclaims, “I shall never eat this food ever again”. #. After they kissed, the groom, with a smile on his face, muttered to his bride, “This is the day I will always want to forget”.

#2. Situational Irony

Situational irony occurs when the audience or the reader knows more than the character about every event. Talking differently, it refers to what the character thinks is true is incongruous with what the audience knows. Let’s get it perfectly with the help of examples.

Have a look at the irony examples:

#. Dr. Johnson smokes a pack of cigarettes a day. #. Our boss, the owner of a big construction firm, cannot fix his house’s broken ceiling. #. The defence lawyer failed to acquit his son in a case.

Also Read: Why English Fluency is Important in Workspace?

#3. Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is the contrast between the actual result of a situation and what was intended or expected to happen. It shows the difference or contradiction between expectations and the outcome.

Here are some irony examples:

#. In “Saving Private Ryan”, the group of soldiers was hopeless they could find Private James Ryan alive, but the audience knew from the start that Private Ryan went on to live until his later years. #. The wife believed that her husband died in an airplane crash, but the audience was aware that the husband had survived. #. Readers knew that Caitlyn’s character in the novel “A Song for Caitlin” would eventually die but the other characters never even knew she was sick.

Also Read: 5 Tricks to Convey Your Message Smartly

Hopefully, this article has provided you with the best learning to develop your English grammar. The irony is most commonly used by English speakers to be diplomatic and professional.

If you want to know more grammar tips, content, and strategies, you should visit the Fluent Life website. The professionals will teach and guide you to be excellent at writing, reading, and speaking English and be quintessentially amazing.

The application is also available by the same name that will help you to gain every possible potential knowledge about the language and its grammar. You must learn about everything to be fluent and worthy.

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Situational Irony Can Be Funny, Tragic or Even Terrifying

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Irony is one of those things that everybody seems know about but few seem able to precisely define. To make matters more complicated still, there are different kinds of irony (cosmic irony, dramatic irony, verbal irony and so forth).

Here, we'll be looking at situational irony , including its definition and how best to use it in your own writing.

What Is Situational Irony?

Situational irony: uses and effects, 3 everyday examples of situational irony, situational irony in literature, how to write situational irony, 6 other types of irony.

Situational irony involves a set of circumstances where the outcome is the opposite of what would normally be expected. You'll most commonly encounter it as a literary device, although you can definitely experience situational irony in reality as well.

As a literary device, situational irony can serve a wide variety of functions, whether to further a plot, set up a story or create a mood. Situational irony gets a great deal of its effect as a literary technique by creating surprise in the mind of the audience. From there, you can go in almost any direction.

• Narrative structure : Situational irony can be a great way to get a story going. For instance, a character who expects a massive inheritance learns that their benefactor actually died broke. Now, they must face a completely different set of prospects in life.
• Humor : Situational irony abounds in comedy . Think of the long-honored tradition in the romantic comedy genre, where two characters who appear to be the exact opposite in terms of temperament eventually fall in love.
• Horror and suspense : In the old hair-raising trope, the frightened characters discover that "the call is coming from inside the house!" This is scary precisely because it's the last place we'd expect a threatening figure to be calling from.

Here are some examples of situational irony that could be encountered in everyday reality.

• A fire station burning down : This is probably one of the most famous examples of situational irony, though it may not be based on any real event. Here, the irony arises from the expectation that a fire station would be staffed by people who are trained to prevent such an outcome.
• A fitness guru dying of heart disease : You would probably expect an expert in health and fitness to live a long and healthy life, but in this example of situational irony, the guru falls victim to a common affliction often associated with disregard for one's health.
• A professional gambler losing all his money on a simple coin toss : This example of situational irony arises from the expectation that a professional gambler wouldn't make such a foolish bet.

The history of storytelling abounds with examples of situational irony. Indeed, it's one of the most tried-and-true ways to get an audience invested in a story, and to keep them guessing through all the plot twists and world building.

• "Julius Caesar" : In Shakespeare's play, the protagonist Julius Caesar is betrayed by his closest confidante in a poignant example of situational irony.
• "Oedipus Rex" : In the classic play by Sophocles, King Oedipus learns that of the plague, which he has vowed to discover and reverse, is in fact a result of his own actions.
• " The Story of an Hour " : In this short story by Kate Chopin, a wife, after being erroneously informed of her husband's death, is surprised to feel a sense of newfound freedom. This turns to shock when the husband arrives at home, very much alive, and the wife dies from a heart attack.

Good writers often develop a kind of sixth sense for situational irony. Indeed, the ironic perspective can be a major asset for storytelling.

Recall that our situational irony definition involved circumstances that appear to be the opposite of what the reader might have expected. Knowing when to anticipate the expectations of an audience — and exploiting the difference between what they assume will happen and what actually will happen — can make all the difference in storytelling.

As an exercise, see if you can recognize some common examples of situational irony in your own life. You'll probably be surprised at how often this occurs.

Then, try to extrapolate from this, starting at the level of a short story. When you are wondering where the plot should go next, consider what might be expected, then imagine what the opposite would be.

Situational irony is the kind you're most likely to encounter, although it's far from the only variety available. There are plenty of options for the irony aficionado to choose from.

• Cosmic irony : In cosmic irony, the dimensions of the ironic situation are extended to include the entire universe, and usually a divine entity of some kind. Often, the entity will intrude upon the actions of the story, changing things in a surprising way.
• Dramatic irony : Dramatic irony arises from the audience knowing things about the characters or plot in a story that the characters themselves don't know.
• Historical irony : Historical irony occurs when the advantage of hindsight reveals something ironic about the past. This can pertain to the life of the main character, or even to an entire nation.
• Poetic irony : Poetic irony, more commonly known as poetic justice, refers to a literary convention where virtue is rewarded and vice is punished. This state of affairs is achieved at the end of a work (and not necessarily in poetry ), usually via an unexpected twist, hence the "irony."
• Structural irony : Structural irony is like situational irony, but it usually exists throughout a work. A naive protagonist — at other times, an unreliable narrator — will consistently misinterpret events and actions in their own reality, establishing a theme of irony that pervades the work.
• Verbal irony : After situational irony, this is probably the most common form of irony you'll encounter. Verbal irony occurs when someone says something, but instead of the literal meaning of their words, they mean something different (often, the complete opposite). Sarcasm is an example of this kind of irony.

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