poetic justice
The term "poetic justice" is often used in literature and everyday life to describe a fitting or ironic outcome where moral balance is achieved.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Literature
(academic, narratology)An outcome in a story where good characters are rewarded and bad characters are punished in a fitting or ironic way.
Example
- In the novel, the villain's own schemes lead to his downfall, a clear case of poetic justice.
B2General
(informal, ironic)A situation where someone experiences fitting consequences for their actions, often with a sense of irony.
Example
- It was poetic justice when the thief was robbed himself.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "poetic justice":