Socratic irony

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Or maybe it was a different problem: In classic Socratic irony, there has to be somebody who doesn’t get the joke, and I had a sneaking suspicion it might be me.

From Salon • Feb. 11, 2017

In this passage we can see, too, the supposed origin of another peculiar Socratic feature, the Socratic "irony."

From A Critical History of Greek Philosophy by Stace, W. T. (Walter Terence)

By a method of quiet cross-examination, the "Socratic irony," he made them aware of their lack of clear ideas and tenable, consistent opinions, and endeavored to guide them aright.

From Outline of Universal History by Fisher, George Park

Carlyle's grotesque is a mode of his golden silence, a sort of Socratic irony, in the indulgence of which he laughs at his readers and at himself.

From Thomas Carlyle by Nichol, John

That is, Carlyle uses irony in the common English sense; the Socratic irony, the irony of the "Modest Proposal."

From A History of English Romanticism in the Nineteenth Century by Beers, Henry A. (Henry Augustin)