as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there was a poignancy to his wit that often left his targets smarting
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Recent Examples of poignancy
The poignancy of the story feels incredibly strong.
—
Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 May 2025
His delicate framing and work with character are on perfect display here in a film that doesn’t subvert the emotion of the source material so much as repurpose it with more anger and poignancy.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
The drama of sport, the truth of fiction, the humanity of documentary, the poignancy of comedy, serious entertainment – this year’s nominees reflect every aspect of the human condition.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2025
While there’s an extra poignancy in the work being shown at a museum on the National Mall, it wasn’t intended to be site-specific, and Pendleton was first pulled in by the visual rather than historical aspect of the event.
—Stephanie Rudig, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 May 2025
His delicate framing and work with character are on perfect display here in a film that doesn’t subvert the emotion of the source material so much as repurpose it with more anger and poignancy.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
The drama of sport, the truth of fiction, the humanity of documentary, the poignancy of comedy, serious entertainment – this year’s nominees reflect every aspect of the human condition.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2025
While there’s an extra poignancy in the work being shown at a museum on the National Mall, it wasn’t intended to be site-specific, and Pendleton was first pulled in by the visual rather than historical aspect of the event.
—Stephanie Rudig, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
The young girl took a bite of the guacamole and flashed a thumbs up.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
26 May 2025
-
While there is a timeline for all the moving parts of the day from guest arrivals to late-night bites at the after-party, planners need to be ready for anything.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
In the second round of the playoffs, against the defending champion, the Boston Celtics, the script was flipped: the Knicks got down by huge margins in the first two games but came storming back for the victory in both, creating a 2–0 edge.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
-
Special teams ace/edge rusher DeAngelo Malone also would be a difficult cut.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Babe Ruth and other Yankee teammates appear in the film, thus adding to its authenticity and poignance.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Dec. 2024
-
Horowitz’s operation embodied both the allure and the poignance of the trade.—
Tad Friend,
The New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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