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
Adding poignancy, the narrative is interspersed with obituaries of some of the patients Shelly could not save, showing them as human beings and not just names on a medical chart.
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Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
Its darkness might be an obstacle to immediate commercial success, but its underlying warmth and poignancy could well be its secret weapon on the way to cult longevity.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024
Cruelty and short-sightedness can run both ways along that spectrum, and part of the poignancy of Counting and Cracking lies in its generosity and emotional maturity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
In Browning’s telling, the messenger’s valiant run and dying words take on a poignancy that inspired readers, among them the inventors of the modern Olympic Games.
—Miriam Kamil, JSTOR Daily, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poignancy 
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024
Its darkness might be an obstacle to immediate commercial success, but its underlying warmth and poignancy could well be its secret weapon on the way to cult longevity.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024
Cruelty and short-sightedness can run both ways along that spectrum, and part of the poignancy of Counting and Cracking lies in its generosity and emotional maturity.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024
In Browning’s telling, the messenger’s valiant run and dying words take on a poignancy that inspired readers, among them the inventors of the modern Olympic Games.
—Miriam Kamil, JSTOR Daily, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poignancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignancy
Noun
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Outside of in-room dining, current options to grab a bite to eat include La Terrasse, Café Laurier, and Wilfrid's Restaurant.Danielle Harling, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2024
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Nerve and muscle damage from the bite is preventing any mobility.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Now more people live at the flammable edges of wildlands, making places that are primed to burn into de facto suburbs.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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He was rated as the No. 1 edge rusher by Rivals and On3 in the 2024 recruiting cycle.Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This reader, with at least 50 years more in corporeal form than Ching, could not help but rapidly identify with her wisdom and experience the poignance of her story.BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2023
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The wild-eyed goofy younger Springsteen cracks through, but never lightly, always with poignance.Christopher Borrelli, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near poignancy
Cite this Entry
“Poignancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignancy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
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