as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there's a mean-spirited poignance to the novel's satiric portrait of Hollywood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poignance
This reader, with at least 50 years more in corporeal form than Ching, could not help but rapidly identify with her wisdom and experience the poignance of her story.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2023
The wild-eyed goofy younger Springsteen cracks through, but never lightly, always with poignance.
—Christopher Borrelli, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2023
That means none of the bubble-burst poignance that Bartlett and Natasha Rothwell brought as the servant-victims of getaway decadence.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2022
Transcending expectations is its own expectation, and Midnights makes clear, with modest poignance, that Swift has burned out on her own hype.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for poignance
BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2023
The wild-eyed goofy younger Springsteen cracks through, but never lightly, always with poignance.
—Christopher Borrelli, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2023
That means none of the bubble-burst poignance that Bartlett and Natasha Rothwell brought as the servant-victims of getaway decadence.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2022
Transcending expectations is its own expectation, and Midnights makes clear, with modest poignance, that Swift has burned out on her own hype.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for poignance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignance
Noun
-
Coffee is particularly simpatico in chocolate recipes, where the coffee’s bitterness rounds out the chocolate flavor without overpowering it.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Chocolate in this range delivers intensity without bitterness and often carries subtle fruity or nutty notes, especially varieties sourced from South America.—
Amber Love Bond,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The event will feature craft brews, gourmet bites, live auction and nostalgic carnival games to raise money to help community members in need get food.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation Bed bugs feed on blood, so a skin reaction from bites is often the first sign of a potential infestation.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There's a poignancy to Simon's struggle that feels relatable to anybody stuck in their career or passion pursuits.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The poignancy of their shock still resonates.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Its Blackwell architecture sets the standard for raw performance, and its software ecosystem with CUDA remains a formidable competitive edge.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Yang Minghan, a crew member of the Zunyi, said in the report that the Type 055 is a new-type destroyer equipped with a host of advanced new systems, boasting cutting-edge performance.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poignance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignance. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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