poignancy

noun

poi·​gnan·​cy ˈpȯi-nyən(t)-sē How to pronounce poignancy (audio)
 sometimes  ˈpȯi(g)-nən(t)-sē
plural poignancies
1
: the quality or state of being poignant
2
: an instance of poignancy

Examples of poignancy in a Sentence

there was a poignancy to his wit that often left his targets smarting
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adding further poignancy to his death Thursday is the fact that Armani, who held the role of chairman, chief executive officer and creative designer, will not be able to mark his namesake company’s 50th anniversary as planned. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025 Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Throughout the set, a large video screen behind the musicians presented clips and images of the classic original Who lineup that included the late John Entwistle and Keith Moon, further adding to the show’s sense of nostalgia and poignancy. David Chiu, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 Yet the occasional poignancy of both Toby and Andrew, the sot and the fool, doesn’t emerge in this production. Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025 The poignancy of the fact his goal was timed at 20:20 was lost on no one as the Diogo Jota song was echoing around Wembley when the ball hit the net. James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poignancy

Word History

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of poignancy was in 1680

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poignancy. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

poignancy

noun
poi·​gnan·​cy ˈpȯi-nyən-sē How to pronounce poignancy (audio)
: the quality or state of being poignant

More from Merriam-Webster on poignancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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