WordGarden.iopoignancy
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈɔɪnjənsi/
US
- /ˈpɔɪnjənsi/
Meanings
Noun
a quality of sad tenderness or emotional sharpness that strongly affects the feelings
Beyond the definition
Poignancy refers to a quality that touches you deeply, often through a bittersweet mix of sadness, warmth, and longing. It's the feeling you get when you remember a special time that has passed, or when you witness a beautiful moment touched by loss. Think of an old photograph, a familiar song, or a farewell scene in a movie. These things feel poignant because they remind us of what once was and what cannot return. A writer might aim for poignancy in a story, creating scenes that stay with readers long after they finish the book.
Poignancy is a quality that brings a strong emotional response, usually with sadness, tenderness, and fond remembrance mixed together. It is more than simple sorrow. It often carries a gentle sweetness and a clear sense that something precious has been lost, is passing, or cannot fully be held onto. The word comes from the Old French poignant, meaning "sharp" or "keenly felt," which helps explain why this feeling can seem to pierce the heart.
You might experience poignancy when revisiting a childhood home, listening to music that reminds you of an earlier love, or watching a film about someone facing a difficult change. It often appears in moments that are brief, fragile, or connected to an ending or turning point in life.
Poignancy is not always purely negative. While it usually includes sadness, it can also be deeply moving and even quietly uplifting. A poignant story might leave you feeling heartbroken yet grateful for the beauty of human connection. It reflects the bittersweet side of life, where joy and sorrow often exist together.
Consider this example: "The old woman's letter was filled with poignancy as she recalled her youth and mourned the passing of time." Or: "There was a poignant silence after the final note of the song." The key is that it is not just sadness. It is a deep, tender feeling shaped by beauty, loss, and memory.
Examples
- 1
Film ending
The film's final scene has a quiet poignancy that stays with you.
- 2
Separation
There is a special poignancy to the story because we know the friends will never meet again.
- 3
Photograph
The poignancy of the photograph comes from the empty chair at the table.
- 4
Farewell speech
Her joke about growing old added poignancy to the farewell speech.
- Patternadd poignancy to + thing
make it feel more emotionally moving
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Later meaning
Years later, his last email took on a new poignancy.
- Phrasetake on a new poignancy
begin to feel more moving because of later events
See also
Similar
- pathos
- movingness
- emotional power
Shades of meaning
- bittersweetness
- tenderness
- melancholy
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- the poignancy of the moment
- a sense of poignancy
- added poignancy
Word family
Explore
- emotional resonance
- nostalgia
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- poignancynoun