system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: The difference between irony and sarcasm.

I never really understood the difference between those two. I know irony is saying something that you dont actually mean but sarcasm is the same, right?
gpt
First, to be clear we're talking about verbal irony.  There are other forms of irony, but verbal irony is saying something while you mean something very different.

Sarcasm is a bitter remark designed to hurt.  It is very often done in the form of irony, but it doesn't have to be.

Let's clarify with a few examples:

* **What a fine musician you turned out to be!**  This is sarcasm and irony.  It means the opposite of what it says (irony) and is done so with the intent to insult (sarcasm).  This is the most common form of sarcasm, and it is why it's often assimilated to irony.

* **You couldn't punch your way out of a wet paper bag.**  This is meant as a caustic, insulting remark, but it means exactly what it says. It is sarcasm, but not irony.

* **The weather is so great!** (when it's raining)  This is irony, as it means the opposite of what it says, but it isn't sarcasm, as it isn't a jab at someone.