"Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is quite a long word, isn't it?" "Yes, but do you know what it means?" "Actually, I don't." "It means fear of long words." "How ironic."
Source: tatoeba (423234)
Ironic
/aɪˈɹɒn.ɪk/
Synonyms for "ironic" (116 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (24)
Strong matches (34)
cynicaldappleddryeclecticenigmaticequivocalequivocatoryfifty-fiftyhalf-and-halfheterogeneousimplicationalimplicativeimplicatoryincisiveindicativeindiscriminateinferentialinsinuatinginsinuativeinsinuatory
Show 6 more words
Adjective(4 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (58)
Adjective(20 words)
nonliteralparadoxical outcomepolitical commentary artpostmodernruefulsarcasticsarcastic remarksatiricalseriocomicsnarkysnootytongue-in-cheek remarkstwist of fateunexpected outcomeverbal ironyvoltareanweirdwrierwryerwryest
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: dry, wry, allusive, allusory, amalgamated.
- Sentence evidence is available for ironic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "ironic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ironic"
Keep "ironic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "ironic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "ironic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "ironic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesfigurative languageliterary motifnarrative devicerhetorical device
More specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriesdramatic ironyironic remarkironic toneironic twistsituational ironyverbal irony
Inflections
2 entriesmore ironicmost ironic
Derivations
4 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
36 translations across 31 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- ironies adj (characterized by irony)
Belarusian
1 entries- ірані́чны adj (characterized by irony)
Bulgarian
2 entries- ирони́чен adj (characterized by irony)
- подиграва́телен adj (characterized by irony)
Catalan
1 entries- irònic adj (characterized by irony)
Czech
1 entries- ironický adj (characterized by irony)
Danish
1 entries- ironisk adj (characterized by irony)
Dutch
1 entries- ironisch adj (characterized by irony)
Esperanto
1 entries- ironia adj (characterized by irony)
Finnish
1 entries- ironinen adj (characterized by irony)
French
1 entries- ironique adj (characterized by irony)
German
1 entries- ironisch adj (characterized by irony)
Greek
1 entries- ειρωνικός adj (characterized by irony)
Hebrew
1 entries- אִירוֹנִי adj (characterized by irony)
Irish
1 entries- íorónta adj (characterized by irony)
Italian
2 entries- ironico adj (characterized by irony)
- sarcastico adj (characterized by irony)
Japanese
1 entries- 風刺的な adj (characterized by irony)
Korean
1 entries- 아이러니하다 adj (characterized by irony)
Latin
1 entries- ironicus adj (characterized by irony)
Macedonian
1 entries- ироничен adj (characterized by irony)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- ironisk adj (characterized by irony)
Occitan
1 entries- ironic adj (characterized by irony)
Polish
1 entries- ironiczny adj (characterized by irony)
Portuguese
2 entries- irónico adj (characterized by irony)
- irônico adj (characterized by irony)
Romanian
1 entries- ironic adj (characterized by irony)
Russian
2 entries- ирони́ческий adj (characterized by irony)
- ирони́чный adj (characterized by irony)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- iròničan adj (characterized by irony)
- иро̀ничан adj (characterized by irony)
Slovak
1 entries- ironický adj (characterized by irony)
Slovene
1 entries- ironičen adj (characterized by irony)
Spanish
1 entries- irónico adj (characterized by irony)
Swedish
1 entries- ironisk adj (characterized by irony)
Ukrainian
1 entries- іроні́чний adj (characterized by irony)
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
In a cruelly ironic twist of fate, someday Tatoeba will make an example of us all.
Source: tatoeba (700671)
Imogen of the Internet, in spite of her American nationality, opened a Mixi account just to show off her ironic purikura album.
Source: tatoeba (798444)
Ironic, isn't it?
Source: tatoeba (1111695)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ironic"?
Closest matches include dry, wry, allusive, allusory, amalgamated.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ironic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.