😏 Mocking or joking 🔄 Unexpectedly opposite

ironical

1 6.4

Saying the opposite of what you mean to be funny or mocking

adjective
/aɪˈrɒnɪkəl/

: irónico

I thought Eastwood's performance at the RNC was ironical and meant to punk the Republicans?

And one of the ironic things about even great historians is that most of the time they're some of the worst predictors of the future.

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Examples

Her ironical comment during the meeting highlighted the ridiculousness of the proposal.
I'd like to go to the moon." "You're being ironical again." "I guess I am."

Fiction book (1990)
But ladies and gentlemen, isn't it ironical that when we had the salesman, we had the surplus?
I was being ironical.

Good Will Hunting (1997)
Riley had told this story to Samantha several times, and each time he told it, she gave him a little ironical smile, a singular mixture of amusement and condescension.

Fiction book (2002)
He delivered his speech with an ironical tone that made the audience laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
It's quite ironical that despite their warnings, they ended up making the same mistakes.

Synonyms

sarcastic

vsironical

99 4.0

Using words that say the opposite of what you mean to mock or hurt someone

is milder and more playful rather than aimed to hurt

ironic

vsironical

49 4.8

Saying the opposite of what you mean to be funny or mocking

is the same sense but slightly more formal in tone

wry

vsironical

21 7.5

Showing dry, slightly mocking humor and not taking things seriously

is broader and more openly mocking rather than quietly amused

facetious

vsironical

14 8.1

To make jokes that are not serious and may upset people

is more focused on contrast with expectation than inappropriateness

sardonic

vsironical

9 8.1

Showing mocking, bitter humor that makes fun of people

is less scornful and more playfully mocking in tone

alecky

vsironical

Informal

2 9.5

Being cheeky and trying to be clever in a way that annoys others

is more about playful mockery than outright disrespect

mordant

vsironical

Formal

1 8.7

Expressing sharp, often ironic criticism that can feel harsh

is less harsh and leans toward lighter teasing

antiphrastical

vsironical

Literature

9.9

To use words to mean the opposite, often to be ironic

is broader, using mockery without requiring opposite word meanings

Antonyms

serious

452 1.4

Calm and focused, not playful or joking

earnest

57 4.3

Serious and sincere about what you say or do

How Sarcastic

scathing

19 7.7

biting

5.4

sarcastic

99 4.0

ironical

1 6.4

wry

21 7.5

Surface Forms

ironical positive

ironic positive

Morphology

ironical = ironic (transparent) = ironic + al

Formed by adding the adjective-forming suffix '-al' to 'ironic'; the meaning is predictable from 'ironic'.

Etymology

Ironical comes from a Greek word eironeia meaning 'pretend' and is the same root as irony. The idea of 'pretending' helps remember this meaning: ironical can describe saying something in a joking or mocking way by seeming to mean the opposite.