[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/ironically/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [I](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/i/) / ironically

# ironically

adverb (ironically)

«ironically» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. In a way that is the opposite of what you would expect, which makes it strange or funny. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#m1)
2. Saying something but meaning the opposite, as a joke. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories and everyday talk it starts sentences: «Ironically, the robbers were caught by a police officer on holiday.» In English lessons it shows irony. In speech: «He said "well done" ironically.»

### Examples

- Ironically, the fire alarm caught fire. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x1)
- Ironically, the spelling champion misspelt his own name. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x2)
- She clapped ironically when he dropped the ball. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x3)
- Ironically, the dog was scared of the cat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x4)
- «Brilliant,» he said ironically, looking at the mess. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x5)
- Ironically, the shortcut took longer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/#x6)

### Note

From ironic + -ally. Often at the start of a sentence with a comma. Do not use it just to mean «sadly» or «by chance».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ironically» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/ironically/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ironically» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ironically.html) on Mova free.