as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there was a poignancy to his wit that often left his targets smarting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of poignancy
Adding poignancy, the narrative is interspersed with obituaries of some of the patients Shelly could not save, showing them as human beings and not just names on a medical chart.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
Its darkness might be an obstacle to immediate commercial success, but its underlying warmth and poignancy could well be its secret weapon on the way to cult longevity.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024
Cruelty and short-sightedness can run both ways along that spectrum, and part of the poignancy of Counting and Cracking lies in its generosity and emotional maturity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
In Browning’s telling, the messenger’s valiant run and dying words take on a poignancy that inspired readers, among them the inventors of the modern Olympic Games.
—Miriam Kamil, JSTOR Daily, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poignancy 
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
Its darkness might be an obstacle to immediate commercial success, but its underlying warmth and poignancy could well be its secret weapon on the way to cult longevity.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024
Cruelty and short-sightedness can run both ways along that spectrum, and part of the poignancy of Counting and Cracking lies in its generosity and emotional maturity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
In Browning’s telling, the messenger’s valiant run and dying words take on a poignancy that inspired readers, among them the inventors of the modern Olympic Games.
—Miriam Kamil, JSTOR Daily, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
Customers can get their first bites of the new steak garlic nacho fries Thursday, Jan. 16, at participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide, according to the fast-food chain.Tanasia Kenney, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2025
-
The impact of the former could be more bark than bite, given that the U.S. has significantly reduced its dependence on Chinese imports over the past decade.Wes Moss, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Security protocols embedded within each network node allow for immediate threat identification and isolation, while machine learning algorithms at the edge continuously monitor and adapt to new threats.Rafael Umann, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
-
Now more people live at the flammable edges of wildlands, making places that are primed to burn into de facto suburbs.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
This reader, with at least 50 years more in corporeal form than Ching, could not help but rapidly identify with her wisdom and experience the poignance of her story.BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2023
-
The wild-eyed goofy younger Springsteen cracks through, but never lightly, always with poignance.Christopher Borrelli, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near poignancy
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share