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Poignant: meaning, definitions and examples

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poignant

 

[ ˈpɔɪnjənt ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

emotions

evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret; deeply moving

Synonyms

emotional, heartbreaking, touching

Examples of usage

  • Her poignant story brought tears to my eyes.
  • The poignant melody reminded me of my childhood.
  • The movie's ending was so poignant that it stayed with me for days.
Context #2 | Adjective

impact

having a strong effect on one's emotions or senses

Synonyms

emotive, powerful, striking

Examples of usage

  • The photographs from the war were particularly poignant.
  • The smell of fresh bread always has a poignant effect on me.

Translations

Translations of the word "poignant" in other languages:

🇵🇹 comovente

🇮🇳 वेदना से भरा

🇩🇪 ergreifend

🇮🇩 menyentuh

🇺🇦 зворушливий

🇵🇱 wzruszający

🇯🇵 感動的な

🇫🇷 poignant

🇪🇸 conmovedor

🇹🇷 dokunaklı

🇰🇷 가슴 아픈

🇸🇦 مؤثر

🇨🇿 dojemný

🇸🇰 dojemný

🇨🇳 感人的

🇸🇮 ganljiv

🇮🇸 snjall

🇰🇿 жүрекке тиетін

🇬🇪 შთამბეჭდავი

🇦🇿 təsirli

🇲🇽 conmovedor

Etymology

The word 'poignant' originated from the Old French word 'poindre' meaning 'to prick'. Over time, it evolved to describe something that pricks or pierces the emotions deeply. The use of 'poignant' in English dates back to the 14th century, and it has retained its powerful emotional connotations through the centuries.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,703, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.