# ironically

Pronunciation: say "y-RON-ik-lee" US /aɪˈɹɑnɪkli/, UK /aɪˈɹɒnɪkli/

## Adverb

1. Used to draw attention to an aspect of a situation that runs opposite to what one would expect.
   - Simple: Used to point out that something turned out the opposite of what you would expect.
   - _Ironically, the committee on openness held all its meetings behind closed doors._
   - _The drought ended, ironically, on the very day the town declared a water emergency._
2. In an ironic manner, behaving or speaking in a way that displays irony.
   - Simple: In a way that says the opposite of what you really mean, often as a joke.
   - _He congratulated his rival ironically, stretching out each word of praise._
   - _She smiled ironically when he insisted he was never once late._

## Origin

Formed from "ironic" combined with the suffix "-ally".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/ironically (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).