Final answer:
Irony as a rhetorical feature is when there is a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens or is said. It can be used for humor, contradictions, or criticism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best definition of irony as a rhetorical feature is when there is a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens or is said. It can be used to create humor, highlight contradictions, or criticize something indirectly. For example, if someone says, "What a beautiful day!" when it is actually raining heavily, that would be situational irony. Irony can also be verbal, when someone says the opposite of what they mean, or dramatic, when the audience knows something that the characters don't.