When a person says something but means something else, in order to hurt, insult or humiliate, that person is using sarcasm. Sarcasm is very like verbal irony, but it is more biting. For example, if you say to a very quiet person who has hardly said a word, “Are you always so much fun to be with?” you are being very sarcastic. Oscar Wilde (author) described sarcasm as “the lowest form of wit, but the highest form of intelligence” – probably because sarcastic remarks can be creative and humorous as well as hurtful. “You really are clever, aren’t you,” is a sarcastic comment to someone who did very badly in a test.