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
The immediacy of these relations and connections contributes warmth and poignancy, but not necessarily deep insight into the man that Kaufman actually became.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
The movie got rave reviews at Sundance for its dark humor, poignancy, and the confidence of its debut filmmaker; Victor is certainly one to watch.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 16 May 2025
To drive home the pain and poignancy of that, the album cover featured a photo of Jeffreys as a child dressed in his baseball uniform to attend the historic game in which Jackie Robinson broke the color line.
—Jim Farber, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
The movie’s poignancy accumulates gradually, every supple turn expertly modulated as the presence of generations past becomes more tangible.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
The movie got rave reviews at Sundance for its dark humor, poignancy, and the confidence of its debut filmmaker; Victor is certainly one to watch.
—Ben Rosenstock, Time, 16 May 2025
To drive home the pain and poignancy of that, the album cover featured a photo of Jeffreys as a child dressed in his baseball uniform to attend the historic game in which Jackie Robinson broke the color line.
—Jim Farber, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2025
The movie’s poignancy accumulates gradually, every supple turn expertly modulated as the presence of generations past becomes more tangible.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
There's a full beer and cocktail menu along with snacks and bites.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Choose cloth, leather, rubber or anything thick that will protect you from accidental bites, says Chuang.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The square stones have rounded edges to prevent scratching, and there’s no unpleasant metallic taste.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Back to the top of the order, Jurickson Profar got a changeup on the outside edge of the zone and lined it to left field for a double.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 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 Aug. 2025.
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