Ironise

Ironise is a verb in British English meaning to express or convey irony through speech or writing, often to criticize or mock. When someone ironises a statement, they present it in such a way that the literal meaning contrasts with the intended one, exposing incongruity or pretended seriousness.

The term derives from irony, itself from Greek eirōneia; the verb ironise was formed with the -ise ending typical of British English. The American variant is ironize.

Ironising can be subtle or overt. In literary criticism and journalism, it may be used to lampoon ideas or institutions without direct confrontation. It is related to satire and sarcasm, but is generally lighter or more analytical, relying on the reader to detect the contrast between surface meaning and underlying message.

Examples include: "The reviewer ironises the film's grandiose rhetoric by noting its lack of substance." "She ironises bureaucratic platitudes with a dry, understated remark."

See also: irony; ironic; sarcasm; satire; rhetorical device.