Happening in a way that is contrary to what is expected, and often amusing as a result.
Here's a breakdown:
* Contrary to expectations: The situation or outcome is the opposite of what you'd normally anticipate.
* Amusing: There's often a humorous element to the situation, because the unexpected twist is surprising.
Examples:
* "Ironically, the fire station burned down." (You'd expect a fire station to be safe from fire.)
* "The marriage counselor filed for divorce." (You'd expect a marriage counselor to be able to maintain a successful marriage.)
Common Misuse:
"Ironically" is often used to simply mean "coincidentally" or "surprisingly." However, this is incorrect. It's not ironic if something is just unexpected without a humorous twist.
Instead of: "Ironically, I forgot my umbrella and it started raining."
Use: "Coincidentally, I forgot my umbrella and it started raining."
In short: "Ironically" describes an unexpected event with a humorous or amusing element.