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
There’s a certain poignancy in that.
—
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
So there’s a special poignancy—even a measure of consolation—in the arrival of a new work, from another source entirely, that exemplifies the intelligence and the rigor of Wiseman’s methods.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
The next two hours, presented in more dramatic terms, are humane, but not in a way that quite reaches poignancy.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
No playwright can duplicate the poignancy of that.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
So there’s a special poignancy—even a measure of consolation—in the arrival of a new work, from another source entirely, that exemplifies the intelligence and the rigor of Wiseman’s methods.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2026
The next two hours, presented in more dramatic terms, are humane, but not in a way that quite reaches poignancy.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
-
Acidic liquids can tame that bitterness.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
After bitterness, a little sweetness is in order.—
Michelle Huneven,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its brunch menu features a variety of fun bites, sides and mains, such as Avocado Toast Flights; Wake and Gravy Poutine; and the Trenton Porkroll Benny made with two poached eggs, cracked pepper and melted cheddar over potato pancakes.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Most pests make little nibbles on plants, but groundhogs take big bites out of tomatoes, cabbage heads, and other crops.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Style it by the edge of your sofa to add bonus space for your morning coffee or evening snacks, or use it by a window in your entryway, bedroom, or kitchen as a pedestal table to show off your favorite houseplants.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Musk in March outlined plans for the massive operation to build cutting-edge semiconductors for artificial intelligence, robotics and space forays.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a particular poignance to Manousos giving this speech — an honest-to-goodness monologue by his standards — at the Darién Gap, amid the detritus of migrants who have shed their belongings to take this path from South to Central America.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
-
By contrast, Borghi limns a figure of comingled sensuality, threat and eventual poignance, without ever appearing to reach for effect.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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