irony

EYE-run-ee

meaning in plain English

Saying one thing but meaning the opposite, often to be funny or make a point.

Picture a fire station with a sign that says 'No fires allowed'—that's irony.

for example

It was the ultimate irony when the fire station burned down.

You’re standing in the rain without an umbrella, complaining about how you *love* sunny days, and then someone yells, 'Wow, talk about irony!'—because the universe just handed you the perfect example of saying one thing while the exact opposite is happening. Irony is when life leans in to highlight the gap between words and reality, making the mismatch so obvious it feels like a cosmic joke.