poignant
Americanadjective
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sharply distressing or painful to the feelings
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to the point; cutting or piercing
poignant wit
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keen or pertinent in mental appeal
a poignant subject
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pungent in smell
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of poignant
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English poynaunt, from Middle French poignant, literally, “stinging,” present participle of poindre “to appear, emerge,” earlier “to prick, sting,” from Latin pungere; see pungent
Explanation
Something that is poignant touches you deeply. Watching a poignant YouTube video about baby penguins chasing their mothers, for example, might give you a lump in your throat. Poignant comes from the Latin pungere, "to prick," the same root as pungent. But something that's pungent pricks your sense of smell, whereas poignant refers to something that pricks your emotions, especially in a melancholy way. Movie critics might describe a touching portrayal as poignant if there isn't a dry eye in the house.
Vocabulary lists containing poignant
Grade 12, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 7
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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.
In its four-star review, Radio Times described Alice and Steve as an "impressively wrong-footing drama about love and hate", praising its ability to balance sharp comedy with more poignant themes.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Beyond all that, this curtain call means leaving behind one of TV’s best intergenerational relationships and its most poignant, accurate exploration of the craggy emotional geography of friendships between women.
From Salon • May 29, 2026
Ultimately, reaching the Mesolithic Period has obviously become the highlight of the excavation and something that's particularly poignant to myself.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
It was as poignant and heart-wrenching as anything he said in the whole interview about “John Wick 3,” the film he was there to promote.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
His earliest recollection was of great branches of lilac, standing in white jars, and they filled the house with a wistful, poignant smell.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions 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.
