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
On November 2, 2025, the Baltimore Museum of Art will open the mid-career survey capturing the power and poignancy of Sherald’s artistry, tracing her ascendance to the most influential figurative painter of our time.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Jim Jarmusch‘s delicate triptych Father Mother Sister Brother, critically celebrated for its effortless poignancy, was the night’s dark horse champ, handing the American indie film icon his first Venice Golden Lion.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Jim Jarmusch‘s delicate triptych Father Mother Sister Brother, critically celebrated for its effortless poignancy, was the night’s dark horse champ, handing the American indie film icon his first Venice Golden Lion.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
There was no jealousy, no bitterness.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Perhaps the bitterness refers to the alimony check?—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
While the angel gets a little jaded having to work a kitchen job and develops a smoking habit, there are moments of sheer joy as Gabriel hits a dance floor and bites into a juicy burger for the first time.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Covered with ants and bleeding from what doctors would later suspect were animal bites, the pig farmer had just made a terrifying discovery near a river in this north Indian village.—
Aishwarya S. Iyer,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Jayden Fraser added a two-point rush, giving his team an 8-7 edge at intermission.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
-
In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) attempted to move forward with a vote on a full-year Defense appropriations bill on Thursday to gain some favor with Senate Democrats on the edge about the shutdown.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 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
-
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 19 Oct. 2025.
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