mordancy
noun
mor·dan·cy
ˈmȯr-dᵊn(t)-sē 
1
: a biting and caustic quality of style : incisiveness
2
: a sharply critical or bitter quality of thought or feeling : harshness
Synonyms
Examples of mordancy in a Sentence
the surprising mordancy with which the two physicians contested each other's claim to having discovered an effective vaccine for polio
Recent Examples on the Web
But Lloyd’s version brims with mordancy.
—
Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023
The gray-tint, cross-hatched drawings evoke George Cruikshank and Samuel Palmer, but the mordancy is vintage Sendak.
—The Week Staff, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022
Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023
The gray-tint, cross-hatched drawings evoke George Cruikshank and Samuel Palmer, but the mordancy is vintage Sendak.
—The Week Staff, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mordancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Mordancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mordancy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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