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
Metcalf is the rare actor who can lunge after comedy without sacrificing the raw poignancy of her character.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The poignancy of this scene, following all the horrors Ellie endures (and causes), is impossible to overstate.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Related Articles Adding even more poignancy to the project is the voice of the narrator, an Italian woman in her 80s who had never acted before, and who expresses the bag’s thoughts with a blend of naivety, passion and sadness.
—Samantha Conti, WWD, 13 Feb. 2025
For nearly anyone facing a lifetime’s worth of souvenirs, there’s an undeniable poignancy.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
The poignancy of this scene, following all the horrors Ellie endures (and causes), is impossible to overstate.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Related Articles Adding even more poignancy to the project is the voice of the narrator, an Italian woman in her 80s who had never acted before, and who expresses the bag’s thoughts with a blend of naivety, passion and sadness.
—Samantha Conti, WWD, 13 Feb. 2025
For nearly anyone facing a lifetime’s worth of souvenirs, there’s an undeniable poignancy.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
There’s also an on-site bar/lounge serving wine, cocktails, and light bites, and a coffee shop and cafe located next door in the Salish Visitors Center.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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This potential trilogy is off to a solid — if not spectacular — start, though more bite would have been welcome.—
Mark Meszoros,
Boston Herald,
19 June 2025
Noun
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Like Squid Game, The Prisoner beguiles the viewer by turning traditional symbols of familiar, homegrown calm (in this case, an idyllic seaside town) into disorientating weapons that keep the characters on a knife's edge.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
27 June 2025
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Cook, undisturbed, until pancake edges are dry and bubbles begin to form on surface, about 3 minutes.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Babe Ruth and other Yankee teammates appear in the film, thus adding to its authenticity and poignance.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Dec. 2024
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Horowitz’s operation embodied both the allure and the poignance of the trade.—
Tad Friend,
The New Yorker,
21 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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