poignant

[poin-yuhnt, poi-nuhnt]

adjective

1. keenly distressing to the feelings.

   poignant regret.

   Synonyms: heartfelt, sincere, intense
   Antonyms: mild

2. keen or strong in mental appeal.

   a subject of poignant interest.

   Antonyms: mild

3. affecting or moving the emotions.

   a poignant scene.

4. pungent to the smell.

   poignant cooking odors.

   Synonyms: sharp, piquant

poignant

/ -nənt, ˈpɔɪnjənt /

adjective

1. sharply distressing or painful to the feelings

2. to the point; cutting or piercing

   poignant wit

3. keen or pertinent in mental appeal

   a poignant subject

4. pungent in smell

Other Word Forms

• poignantly adverb
• unpoignant adjective
• unpoignantly adverb
• poignancy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of poignant¹

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; pungent

Word History and Origins

Origin of poignant¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin pungens pricking, from pungere to sting, pierce, grieve

Example Sentences

An increasingly vulnerable group in today’s America is brought into poignant emotional focus through the story of a boy and his loving grandmother.

From Los Angeles Times

The scene on Friday afternoon captured the Hollywood that Kimmel embraced and aggressively promoted: Weird, gritty and surprisingly poignant.

From Los Angeles Times

"It is especially poignant that RAF pilots and crew are once again standing shoulder to shoulder with Poland in defence of our shared security," Healey said.

From BBC

Even at Carmen’s most exasperating, she could still surprise Ortega with a simple, poignant question: “How are you doing in your life, Roxie?”

From Los Angeles Times

That mission made his shooting on a college campus in Utah all the more poignant to his friends and allies, who reacted with dismay at videos of the shooting circulating online.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bitter 
• disturbing 
• emotional 
• heartbreaking 
• heartrending 
• moving 
• passionate 
• pathetic 
• sad 
• sentimental 
• touching