POIGNANCE Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

poignance

noun

ˈpȯi-nyən(t)s

Definition of poignance

as in bitterness

a harsh or sharp quality there's a mean-spirited poignance to the novel's satiric portrait of Hollywood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 poignance That milestone might have held a particular poignance for Branch Rickey. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2025 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 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, 9 June 2023 See All Example Sentences for poignance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poignance

Noun

Some are prized for their sweet custard and fruity notes, others for a hint of bitterness, an alcohol tinge or even a peanut butter flavor.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Arugula’s natural bitterness kicks off digestion before the first bite, cueing saliva, stomach acid and digestive enzymes that help the body prepare to break down a meal.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of bitterness

Noun

The pilots informed air traffic controllers ahead of landing that one person had a bloody nose and another person had bite marks and requested that medical personnel be waiting at the gate.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
The mild sweetness of onions pairs naturally with tallow’s savory character, and when fried at the right temperature the coating turns crisp and golden without the onions losing their tender bite.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of bite

Noun

Look past the 1951 setting, however, and the movie's anti-war message about humanity being on a crash course to destruction has never lost its poignancy.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026
The fourth season’s penultimate episode features a pregnancy revelation, the unmasking of a secret villain, and, in its final moments, an unexpected loss that lends an extra layer of poignancy to the episode’s title.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of poignancy

Noun

Details like floor-to-ceiling glass and oak ceilings add to the home’s grandeur, and a fire pit at the edge of the lawn—plus private beach access—are ideal for travelers who want to soak in the salty breeze.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Oct. 2026
For a cold moment the silence locked a grip on our table, though it was broken, at the edges, by the golf commentators moaning and harrumphing, Rory McIlroy having had a canary on a seventeenth fairway somewhere this championship Sunday.

— Kevin Barry, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of edge

Browse Nearby Words

pogroms

poignance

poignancy

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Poignance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poignance. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of poignance

noun

Example Sentences

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