You’ve probably encountered verbal irony at home, school, or your workplace—maybe even used it yourself. But what about in creative writing? Much like its siblings dramatic irony and situational irony, verbal irony can be a great tool for giving your story strong characterisation and depth.
We’ll take you through everything you need to know about what verbal irony means, the difference between verbal irony and sarcasm, and why writers like to fall back on verbal irony in their stories.
What is verbal irony?
Verbal irony is a rhetorical device in which the speaker says something in contrast to what they really mean. This can include dramatically overstating or understating an idea, sarcastically saying you love something when you really hate it, or pretending not to understand another person.
We use and hear verbal irony in our daily lives all the time. It’s especially recognizable from comedic television (the modern iteration of ancient Greek comedy—we’ll talk more about “Socratic irony” soon). Like dramatic irony (in which the audience understands more about a scene than the characters do), verbal irony lets the audience in on the blatant subtext happening above the words that are being said.
The four types of verbal irony
When we talk about verbal irony, we’re really talking about four distinct, related ways of speaking. Here are the four types of verbal irony you’ll encounter in everyday life.
1. Sarcastic irony
When someone is being sarcastic, they’re deliberately saying the opposite of what they mean to achieve a certain effect. Sarcasm is humorous at its best, and cruel at its worst. If a character is saying something sarcastically, they’re not expecting the other person to take their words literally.
Sometimes people equate the term sarcasm and verbal irony as the same thing. All sarcasm is a type of verbal irony, but not all verbal irony is sarcasm.
2. Socratic irony
Socratic irony is a less direct type of verbal irony that one might also call “workplace verbal irony.” Have you ever started an email with “I’m a little confused…”? This type of irony means to feign ignorance in order to elicit a particular response.
This might be to diffuse tension and open a balanced conversation, as seen in the example above, or it could be to entreat someone into a sense of comfort and security so that they spill all their secrets. Originally, this type of irony was used as an interrogation method to get suspects to reveal the truth.
3. Understated irony
Verbal irony can happen when someone is dramatically understating something either for comedic effect, or to downplay the severity of a situation. For example, saying “It’s just a bit of wind” when there’s a hurricane outside would be an example of understated irony.
If a character is constantly using understated irony when confronted with challenging events, it can communicate a lot to the reader about how this character views themselves and the world around them.
4. Hyperbolic irony
This type of irony occurs when someone dramatically overestimates a concept for dramatic effect. For example, someone might say “I’ve been waiting here since the stone age” if they’ve been standing in a concert ticket queue for a long time.
Like sarcastic irony, this type of speech isn’t intended to be an intentional deception; rather, it’s used to draw attention to an idea or to convey an emphatic emotional response.
You might also hear writers talking about “stable” and “unstable irony,” which reflect the way a use of verbal irony is perceived. Stable irony is when the writer or speaker’s meaning is clear, and the listener knows exactly what they’re trying to say. Unstable irony is when the speaker’s intent could be interpreted as either literal or ironic.
Why do writers use verbal irony?
Verbal irony can be a useful literary device for communicating character, lightening a situation, or even adding tension to a scene.
You can even use different types of irony in contrast to one another to create foil characters; for example, one character might constantly overdramatize everything with hyperbolic irony while their friend or sibling constantly underplays everything with understated irony.
In addition to characterization, writers can also use verbal irony to create a unique narrative voice. For example, satirical writers like Lemony Snicket and John Kennedy Toole use verbal irony to draw the reader into their stories and create a relatable tone.
Examples of everyday verbal irony
We encounter examples of verbal irony in everyday conversation all the time. For instance, someone might say “Well this is just fantastic!” when they encounter a problem.
Or, they might say “I must not have explained it properly,” when what they actually mean is “You’re a complete and utter idiot.”
Someone might use overstatement by saying “I’m so hungry I could eat this entire restaurant,” or use understatement by saying “I’m feeling a bit peckish” when they really mean they’re ravenous.
Saying “I love your outfit! It’s very desperation-chic” is a colorful way of saying “The way you dress is an embarrassment.” When people are exhibiting cruelty—in story and in life—they often fall back on sarcasm. Verbal irony can manifest positively or negatively, and can add tension to a moment or loosen it.
Examples of verbal irony in literature
Now that we’ve seen how this literary device can appear in real life, let’s look at some verbal irony examples from enduring stories.
Verbal Irony in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion
The Irish playwright’s most famous literary work uses verbal irony several times as a way to communicate characterization. At one point, Professor Higgins’ housekeeper admonishes him for swearing. He indignantly retorts, “I never swear. I detest the habit. What the devil do you mean?”
In this line of dialogue, Higgins ironically claims to hate swearing. However, the next sentence reveals that his derision is only a façade; he in fact enjoys swearing quite a bit (“devil” being a rather harsh expletive back in 1912).
Verbal Irony in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen was and remains a reigning queen of verbal irony. She often used sarcasm and romantic irony to critique the social norms of her time, and to create strong female characters in an age when such protagonists were few and far between.
In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet witnesses Darcy acting arrogant and insensitive. She remarks to Caroline Bingley, “I am perfectly convinced by it that Mr. Darcy has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise.”
What she really means is that she’s not convinced in the slightest, and the reason she’s unconvinced is because Darcy “owns it himself” with complete immodesty. Elizabeth delivers a scathing takedown without straying too far from social politesse.
Verbal Irony in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde was a master of comic irony, on the page as well as in life. His play The Importance of Being Earnest offers a commentary on class and social expectation of the day.
When Lady Bracknell asks the main character, Jack, what he does with his time, he responds “Well yes, I must admit I smoke.” The Lady of the house claps back by saying “I’m glad to hear it. A man should always have an occupation of some kind. There are far too many idle men in London as it is.” In this example of verbal irony, what she’s actually doing is throwing some serious shade on her daughter’s suitor and subtly telling him he isn’t good enough for her.
Verbal irony is one of the most subversive literary devices
As a form of classical irony, verbal irony is most often used to bring humor and levity to a scene. However, it can also be used to create subtle thematic implications about the reality of the world, or about social structure, or human nature. You can also use verbal irony to connect with your readers, and make them think they’re in on a private conversation between characters—which makes your story that much more immersive and lifelike.
