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ironical

Something that's ironical is wryly funny, especially because it doesn't match up with your expectations. It would be ironical to name your enormous Great Dane "Tiny."

You can describe this kind of humor, situation, or literary device as either ironical or ironic — in the US it's more common to use the latter. A famously ironical passage from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" goes like this: "Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” In other words, it's ironical that despite being surrounded by water, the mariner is thirsty. The word comes from the Greek eironikos, "putting on a feigned ignorance."

Definitions of ironical
  1. adjective
    characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is
    “it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely”
    synonyms: ironic
    incongruous
    lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
  2. adjective
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    “an ironical smile”
    synonyms: dry, ironic, wry
    comedic, humorous, humourous
    full of or characterized by humor
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘ironical'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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