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
There’s a certain poignancy in that.
—
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
So there’s a special poignancy—even a measure of consolation—in the arrival of a new work, from another source entirely, that exemplifies the intelligence and the rigor of Wiseman’s methods.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
The next two hours, presented in more dramatic terms, are humane, but not in a way that quite reaches poignancy.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
So there’s a special poignancy—even a measure of consolation—in the arrival of a new work, from another source entirely, that exemplifies the intelligence and the rigor of Wiseman’s methods.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
The next two hours, presented in more dramatic terms, are humane, but not in a way that quite reaches poignancy.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
For example, maror, or bitter herbs, represent the bitterness of slavery.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rest of the band joins in as Ayewa calls for the listener to look up to a world above war, bitterness, and division.—
Steve Donofrio,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Medical experts say if a rattlesnake bites, keep the area still, at or below heart level, do not apply ice, do not cut the wound, and do not suck out the venom – and seek help immediately.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Eat the elephant one bite at a time, Redd recommends.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 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
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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 6 Apr. 2026.
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