What is irony and when is something ironic (with examples).

Question

I’ve always avoided using the word ‘ironic’ because I’m worried about using it incorrectly. I was listening to ‘Ironic’ by Alanis Morrisette and remembered she had been called out for not understanding what ironic meant. I find most explanations to be confusing and so I figured I’d ask here.

In: Other

Answer 1

In the Alanis Morrisette song, a man is afraid of flying and when he finally takes his first plane ride, it crashes.

This isn’t ironic because this is the expectation he is worried about.

It would be ironic if he decided to drive instead of fly and then he died in a car crash.