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 timing of the words added poignancy to the messages.
—
John Odenthal, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
But the scene’s real poignancy will come from their sudden realization of how completely wrong their assumptions have been about the public’s attitude towards their products.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Preston is a fun, engaging storyteller whose work balances humor and poignancy.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
John Odenthal, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
But the scene’s real poignancy will come from their sudden realization of how completely wrong their assumptions have been about the public’s attitude towards their products.
—Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Preston is a fun, engaging storyteller whose work balances humor and poignancy.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
There was no detectable bitterness in his voice.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
This matters because fermentation reduces bitterness and makes plant compounds, especially polyphenols, more available.—
Dr. Steven Gundry,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Located on the roof of the Hyatt Centric hotel, the bar has curated cocktails, and offers an array of bites from sister restaurant 7th Street Standard on the street level of the hotel, including chicken tandoori lollipops and charred rapini flatbread.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
-
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and mini quiche bites are easy to grab individually and provide substance to the picnic.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The stalemate that existed has been broken, and the Republicans now seem likely to obtain a meaningful edge heading into the midterms.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Among the various aspects of the movie that its English title refers to, not least is the unhinged rampage Lina unleashes at a couple of schoolgirls, a gringa loca on the razor’s edge.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s a particular poignance to Manousos giving this speech — an honest-to-goodness monologue by his standards — at the Darién Gap, amid the detritus of migrants who have shed their belongings to take this path from South to Central America.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
-
By contrast, Borghi limns a figure of comingled sensuality, threat and eventual poignance, without ever appearing to reach for effect.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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