POIGNANTLY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

poignantly

adverb

Definition of poignantly

as in sharply

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of poignantly As Ethan, Stock was as perversely alienating as he was poignantly alienated. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 Collecting is often a function of loss, an attempt to save something that might otherwise disappear, as the volume’s final essay poignantly articulates. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2026 This case makes poignantly clear how much Florida will miss Labarga, the only justice who was not appointed by DeSantis. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026 After the wedding, Frances frequently sported the earrings, poignantly wearing them at her daughter’s funeral. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 June 2026 Michelle Obama has long demonstrated a knack for conveying messages through her clothing, and her outfit on Tuesday poignantly exemplified her mastery of this skill. — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 Wandering beyond the community’s gates, Art discovers a tree of life, the fruit of which briefly and poignantly restores his youth. — Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026 The relationship between Robert and his siblings is poignantly rendered. — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 22 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignantly

Adverb

Georgia, after establishing herself as a non-hands-washer last year (and doubling down over and over again), decided to sharply pivot to become a maven of cleanliness.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026
Each path promises the same payoff, consistent cold-water immersion for recovery, stress management and mental resilience, but the setup costs, maintenance demands and daily user experience diverge sharply.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

Nations like Mongolia, Bhutan, and Nepal are acutely aware of the danger, fearing that not capitulating on the Dalai Lama succession issue could open the door to broader Chinese territorial claims.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Virality, however, is not the same as long-term brand value, something ALO appears acutely aware of.

— Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of acutely

Adverb

But these two figures, created by one of our most keenly observant writers, deserve to be interpreted anew.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The war in the Middle East has strained the global supply of Patriot interceptors — a shortage now felt keenly in Ukraine.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

Chef Steven Pham is still simmering his signature Northern Vietnamese-style pho ga, which features a soul-piercingly clear broth, tender poached chicken, rice noodles, and a floating raft of fresh herbs.

— Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026
The Towode Door Stop Alarm is a budget-friendly, highly effective safety tool that functions as a wedge door stop and a piercingly loud alarm when activated.

— Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026

Definition of piercingly

Adverb

Yet others — particularly those who identify as Jews through ethnic, cultural or family ties, rather than religion — feel less connected to Israel and judge its actions in the ongoing conflict more harshly.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
The Street graded Meta’s capital expenditure intentions more harshly relative to its hyperscaler peers ( Amazon , Microsoft , and Alphabet ), as monetization of that spend would depend almost entirely on internal demand for compute.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 July 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

Nantz somberly delivered the emotional news while taking several breaks to compose himself.

— Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026
The season's penultimate scene finds Carl at his favorite haunt, sipping his morning coffee while somberly staring at his tiny Tom Ruffage diorama figure.

— Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026

Definition of somberly

Adverb

The series proceeds from a premise that immediately calls to mind the darkly comic horror movie The Substance, an underdog 2024 Best Picture contender that earned Oscar nominations for both its director, Coralie Fargeat, and its star, Demi Moore.

— Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Matthew Rhys landed two Emmy nominations in different categories for darkly comedic and darkly chilling turns this TV season.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of darkly

Adverb

But the dramatic cut in drug production was also due in part to farmers being given alternative crops to the cultivation of opium poppies, De Croo said, noting that funding for such programs had been severely curtailed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
However, local journalism's ability to cover these profound changes is severely declining, with a 75% drop in local reporting since the early 2000s.

— Shalin Jyotishi, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of severely

Browse Nearby Words

poignant

poignantly

point

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Poignantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignantly. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of poignantly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

implacable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes