pointed
Americanadjective
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having a point or points.
a pointed arch.
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sharp or piercing.
pointed wit.
- Synonyms:
- epigrammatic, penetrating
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having direct effect, significance, or force.
pointed criticism.
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aimed; directed.
a pointed gun.
-
directed particularly, as at a person.
a pointed remark.
-
marked; emphasized.
An unusual turn of phrase, a well-placed emphasis, a choice of adjective, a pointed omission—all can turn an otherwise innocent sentence into a verbal dagger.
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Heraldry. (of a cross) having parallel sides with points formed by two inclined sides on each end.
a cross pointed.
adjective
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having a point
-
cutting or incisive
a pointed wit
-
obviously directed at or intended for a particular person or aspect
pointed criticism
-
emphasized or made conspicuous
pointed ignorance
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(of an arch or style of architecture employing such an arch) Gothic
-
music (of a psalm text) marked to show changes in chanting
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(of Hebrew text) with vowel points marked
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pointed
A Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at point, -ed 2, -ed 3
Explanation
Pointed things have a sharp end, like a cat's pointed teeth or the pointed tip of your #2 pencil . A pointed comment, on the other hand, is deliberately direct. You might buy stylish shoes with pointed toes or wear fake, pointed fingernails as part of your Halloween costume, but the second definition of pointed is even more common. A pointed remark gets right to the heart of the matter, and might even hurt someone's feelings. If your mom gives you a pointed look, you probably know exactly what she's thinking about.
Vocabulary lists containing pointed
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It pointed to hotter-than-expected consumer price index and producer price index prints, which have raised the probability of a further interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
As they have debated in recent weeks, the candidates haven't held back on deploying pointed personal attacks against their opponents.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
The expert pointed to Macron's influence over talks on Christine Lagarde's successor as head of the European Central Bank and the EU budget talks.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
They pointed out that if the amount of water flowing into Lake Mead decreases further, it will trigger the state’s right to sue its upriver neighbors for a violation of the compact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
He pointed to a patch of fading mushrooms that looked as if they’d dropped their color on the ground like a cloak.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
