What Is Verbal Irony? | Definition & Examples
Verbal irony involves using language in an indirect, non-literal manner, with an intended meaning that is different from (and often opposite to) the literal meanings of the words. This rhetorical technique can serve various purposes, including humor, sarcasm, and persuasion.
In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, the exacting editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, uses verbal irony to express frustration with her assistant.
Examples of verbal irony can be found in artistic contexts like literature and film as well as everyday contexts like social media conversations.
What is verbal irony?
Verbal irony involves using words to convey a meaning that is opposite to or markedly different from their literal interpretation, often to emphasize a point, express humor, or level a sharp criticism. When using verbal irony, writers must carefully consider the context, tone, and audience to avoid being misunderstood.
The judicious use of verbal irony can deepen the impact of a message, adding layers of meaning that enrich communication. Irony invites listeners and readers to engage more actively with a text or speech, interpreting nuances and insights beyond the superficial meanings of words.
Types of verbal irony
There are several types of verbal irony:
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony in which the speaker says one thing but means the opposite, often spoken with a mocking or critical tone. Sardonic comments are similar but typically even darker or more disdainful. Delivery and context are typically used to signal that the intent differs from the literal words. The result can be humorous, scathingly critical, or somewhere in between.
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.
[…]
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honorable man.
Mark Antony sarcastically asserts that Brutus is honorable while at the same time casting doubt on his motives for assassinating Caesar in this famous speech from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (Act 3, Scene 2). Mark Antony’s compelling use of verbal irony successfully rallies public sentiment against Brutus.
Ironic similes
Ironic similes compare two things in an unconventional way, often highlighting unexpected similarities or emphasizing contrasts to create humor or underscore absurdity.
This ironic simile from Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy subverts expectations, adding humor to the scene and contributing to the story’s fantastical imagery.
Understatement
Combining understatement with verbal irony involves deliberately downplaying the significance of something in a way that highlights its true importance or absurdity. This technique can subtly emphasize the contrast between the situation’s reality and the description given, often resulting in humor.
In this line from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck downplays his emotional response to an encounter with his abusive father. Huck’s ironic understatement reflects his character’s combination of naivety and courage.
Overstatement
Combining overstatement with verbal irony involves exaggerating aspects of a situation to an absurd degree. This exaggeration highlights the disparity between the actual circumstances and the described scenario, often to humorous or critical effect, by making the contrast starkly evident.
In Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope is an ambitious and endearingly flawed character. Here, she sets up an expectation for a self-deprecating comment but finishes with a hyperbolic boast. This line combines overstatement with verbal irony to demonstrate a degree of self-awareness and add dimension to her personality.
Verbal irony examples
Examples of verbal irony are abundant in both literature and everyday communication.
Verbal irony in literature
Verbal irony plays a versatile role in literature. Its functions include developing themes and characters, provoking philosophical reflection, introducing humor, and satirizing societal issues.
Joseph Heller famously used verbal irony in Catch-22 to underscore a central theme of the novel: the absurdity of war.
In Catch-22, Heller uses verbal irony to emphasize the distorted values, irrational behaviors, and nonsensical rules of military and bureaucratic logic.
Oscar Wilde is known for using complex rhetorical devices such as verbal irony and paradox to express social critiques and philosophical observations.
While the speaker claims to resist “everything,” the statement ironically suggests a complete inability to resist anything at all (there is no need to “resist” something that isn’t tempting). Wilde often uses verbal irony to poke fun at human pretenses and flaws.
Verbal irony in everyday life
Verbal irony is a common element of everyday conversations, especially in friendly banter that employs playful misrepresentation or exaggeration for amusement rather than harm. An example of this facetious approach to humor is an employee who often works overtime jokingly asking, “What’s time off?”
Sarcastic or sardonic comments, in contrast, have more potential to be hurtful. Often referred to as “snark,” this style of humor is especially popular online. An example of Internet snark is the meme expression “Sure, Jan,” used with an ironic tone to express skepticism.
“Tell us how you really feel.” [This phrase is used in jest to call out another person’s emphatic or uninhibited negative reaction]
“No, really? You think?” [This ironic phrase is a mocking response used when someone has stated the obvious]
Frequently asked questions about verbal irony
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