sarcastic

Sarcastic is an adjective describing speech or writing that uses sarcasm—sharp, often cutting irony aimed at mocking or deriding someone or something. The term derives from the Greek sarkasmos, meaning “to tear flesh,” via Latin sarcasmus, reflecting its historical association with biting wit.

Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony. While irony is a broad figure in which what is said contrasts with what is meant, sarcasm tends to be more pointed and targeted. It can be playful among friends or hostile and hurtful, and its reception depends on tone, context, and shared assumptions.

In everyday use, sarcasm can function as humor, social critique, or a way to express frustration. It appears in conversation, literature, and media, and may serve to undermine or puncture pretensions, power, or incompetence. An example is saying, “Nice work, as always,” after a clear mistake, where the literal praise masks the intended mockery.

Reception and challenges: sarcasm relies on cues such as tone, facial expression, and shared knowledge, so it can be misunderstood if those cues are absent or culture-specific. In online or cross-cultural communication, misinterpretation is common. Researchers in linguistics and natural language processing study sarcasm detection to better understand and manage its impact in digital discourse.