situational irony

[ sich-oo-ey-shuh-nl ahy-ruh-nee, ahyer- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of situational irony¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Discover More

Compare Meanings

How does situational irony compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

situational irony vs. dramatic irony

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“And the situational irony of the ‘Coroner to the Stars’ attending his own Hollywood premiere, complete with a red carpet, is not lost on me.”

From

Much like a Deadpool movie, the situational irony didn’t end there for the couple either.

From

The initial reporting by Iowa media, largely sourced from Guthrie county authorities, had all the low-stakes scandal and situational irony to make a trending news story on social media.

From

The baseline situational irony that has governed the entire Trump administration can only be countered by the sort of critical irony found in comedic satire.

From

English teachers, language mavens, and pedants of all stripes were quick to point out that Morissette's examples didn't match the dictionary definition of situational irony.

From

Browse