pointed
Americanadjective
-
having a point or points.
a pointed arch.
-
sharp or piercing.
pointed wit.
- Synonyms:
- epigrammatic, penetrating
-
having direct effect, significance, or force.
pointed criticism.
-
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.
-
Heraldry. (of a cross) having parallel sides with points formed by two inclined sides on each end.
a cross pointed.
adjective
-
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
-
(of an arch or style of architecture employing such an arch) Gothic
-
music (of a psalm text) marked to show changes in chanting
-
(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.
He pointed to his and wife Kat Taylor’s work on ballot measures that took on the tobacco and oil industries, protected environmental laws and taxed out-of-state corporations to fund schools.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Instead, the calculations pointed toward only one solution.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
In one of their final conversations last year, Long had a pointed question for Jin: What if the church’s worst-case scenario came to pass, and Zion’s entire team was thrown in jail?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
They pointed to China's reaction to US actions in Iran, saying that Beijing was measured in its response and did not cancel its preparations for Trump's visit.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Mrs. Tracy pointed to the end of the second row.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
