irony

/ˈaɪɹəni/

expression of meaning through opposite words or outcomes

irony in a sentence

“A fire station burning down is a classic example of irony.”

Greek eironeia feigned ignorance from eiron dissembler

Related Words

juxtaposition

placing two elements close together for contrasting effect

leitmotif

a recurring theme or element throughout a work

litotes

understatement by denying the opposite

malapropism

mistaken use of a word for a similar-sounding one

metaphor

a direct comparison between two unlike things

metonymy

substituting the name of an attribute for the thing itself