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ironically - 3 dictionary results

i⋅ron⋅i⋅cal

   [ahy-ron-i-kuhl]
–adjective
1. pertaining to, of the nature of, exhibiting, or characterized by irony or mockery: an ironical compliment; an ironical smile.
2. using or prone to irony: an ironical speaker.
Origin:
1570–80; ironic + -al 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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i·ron·ic     (ī-rŏn'ĭk)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Characterized by or constituting irony.
  2. Given to the use of irony. See Synonyms at sarcastic.
  3. Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended: madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker.
i·ron'i·cal·ly adv., i·ron'i·cal·ness n.
Usage Note: The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes used of events and circumstances that might better be described as simply "coincidental" or "improbable," in that they suggest no particular lessons about human vanity or folly. Thus 78 percent of the Usage Panel rejects the use of ironically in the sentence In 1969 Susie moved from Ithaca to California where she met her husband-to-be, who, ironically, also came from upstate New York. Some Panelists noted that this particular usage might be acceptable if Susie had in fact moved to California in order to find a husband, in which case the story could be taken as exemplifying the folly of supposing that we can know what fate has in store for us. By contrast, 73 percent accepted the sentence Ironically, even as the government was fulminating against American policy, American jeans and videocassettes were the hottest items in the stalls of the market, where the incongruity can be seen as an example of human inconsistency.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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ironically

adverb
1. contrary to plan or expectation; "ironically, he ended up losing money under his own plan" 
2. in an ironic manner; "she began to mimic him ironically" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

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