What does “irony” mean?

irony — meaning in English & Vietnamese

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The quality of a statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

chất lượng của một câu nói có thể có nghĩa khác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Irony, saying what it ne'er intends, Censures with praise, and speaks to foes as friends.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The quality of a statement that, when taken in context, may actually mean something different from, or the opposite of, what is written literally; the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention, often in a humorous context. — An ironic statement.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

chất lượng của một câu nói có thể có nghĩa khác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

It is one of the ironies of capital cities that each acts as a symbol of its nation, and yet few are even remotely representative of it. London has always set itself apart from the rest of Britain — but political, economic and social trends are conspiring to drive that wedge deeper.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Of or pertaining to the metal iron.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Liên quan đến kim loại sắt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The food had an irony taste to it.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A kind of metallic marble.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

một loại đá marble kim loại

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

NounRegister: dated

Examples

And before the season's over millions of "glassies" and "aggies" or "ironies" will change hands, and thousands more will manage to get themselves lost.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 1

Examples

Sense 2

Examples

Sense 3

Examples

Sense 4

Examples

Common questions