Three Types of Irony

Microsoft's new Chief Executive Officer completes all of her work on an Apple Computer.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

As the teacher handed back our graded exams, the kid next to me muttered, “Great.”

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

In Star Wars, the audience knows that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father, but Luke doesn’t learn this until Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

A prisoner spends months digging an underground tunnel leading out of his cell. His plan is flawed, though, and he ends up emerging in the warden’s backyard, where he is promptly caught and returned to prison with additional time added to his sentence.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

In The Lion King, Simba skulks around the Savannah and thinks that he is the direct cause of his father's - Mufasa's - death, when in reality Scar, who is now taking care of him, is the one who killed Mufasa.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

One of my cousins used to constantly complain on social media about the uselessness of social media, but then she was “friended” on Facebook by a former classmate, a young man who eventually became her husband. They’ve been happily married for years.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

On a TV talk show, viewers are told the real reason why a guest has been brought onto the show. He mistakenly thinks he’s there to talk about his job at a coffeeshop, but he’s really there to be gifted a full college scholarship.

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Dramatic Irony

A police station was robbed.

• Dramatic Irony

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony

Before their televised debate began, one politician sneered, “Good luck,” as her opponent crossed in front of her, walking toward the stage.

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Situational Irony

It may seem odd, but every box of Q-tips, also known as cotton buds or cotton swabs, comes with this warning: “Do not insert swab into ear canal.”

• Verbal Irony

• Situational Irony

• Dramatic Irony