Which term describes a saying that mocks through irony?

• A. Verbal Irony
• B. Sarcasm
• C. Metaphor
• D. Pun

Answer: (B)

Mocking through irony is best described as sarcasm, a pointed form of verbal irony. Verbal irony means saying the opposite of what you mean, but sarcasm adds a taunting, cutting edge intended to mock or wound the listener. For example, if someone spills a drink and you say “Nice spill there,” with a sharp tone, that’s sarcasm because it uses irony to mock the mishap. Metaphor and pun aren’t about mocking through irony: a metaphor makes an implicit comparison, and a pun plays on multiple meanings of a word. So the saying that mocks through irony fits sarcasm because of its biting, mocking tone.