ironical

CEFRC1

/aɪˈɹɒnɪkəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Strangely opposite to what is expected, often in an amusing way.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Feigning ignorance; simulating lack of instruction or knowledge; exhibiting Socratic irony.

Examples

  • His ironical remarks are not directed at you.

  • His ironical remarks aren't directed at you.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2
Synonyms
1

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Given to the use of irony; sarcastic.

  2. Characterized by or constituting (any kind of) irony.

More examples

In context

  • His tone was cold and ironical; its bitterness but reflecting the terrible disappointment he had suffered.

  • “So, ultimately, I realized I have been completely ruining my life and my face. What is ironical is that I was only doing this to make myself look better for my wife Marwa. This was for her, not for me.”

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

It was blank that the professional runner lost the race due to a broken shoelace.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From ironic + -al. Attested since the 1570s.