Word Study
poignancy
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun poignancy has 2 senses
- poignancy(n = noun.state) poignance - a state of deeply felt distress or sorrow; "a moment of extraordinary poignancy" is a kind of sadness, sorrow, sorrowfulness
- poignancy(n = noun.attribute) pathos - a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow); "the film captured all the pathos of their situation" is a kind of quality
Derived form adjective poignant2
Derived form adjective poignant1
CIDE DICTIONARY
poignancy, n.
The quality or state of being poignant; as, the poignancy of satire; the poignancy of grief. Swift. [1913 Webster]
THESAURUS
poignancy
acerbity, acidity, acidulousness, acridity, acrimony, asperity, astringency, bite, bitingness, bitterness, bleakness, causticity, cheerlessness, comfortlessness, cuttingness, dash, depression, discomfort, dismalness, distress, distressfulness, dreariness, drive, edge, effectiveness, fierceness, force, forcefulness, grief, grievousness, grip, guts, harshness, impressiveness, incisiveness, joylessness, keenness, lamentability, lamentation, liveliness, mordacity, mordancy, mournfulness, nervosity, nervousness, pain, painfulness, pathos, pep, piquancy, pitiability, pitiableness, pitifulness, point, power, punch, pungency, raciness, regrettableness, rigor, roughness, sadness, severity, sharpness, sinew, sinewiness, sorrowfulness, sourness, sparkle, spirit, sting, strength, stridency, stringency, strong language, tartness, teeth, trenchancy, vehemence, verve, vigor, vigorousness, violence, virulence, vitality, vivacity, vividness, woebegoneness, woefulnessROGET THESAURUS
poignancy
Physical Energy
N energy, physical energy, force, power, keenness, intensity, vigor, strength, elasticity, go, high pressure, fire, rush, acrimony, acritude, causiticity, virulence, poignancy, harshness, severity, edge, point, pungency, cantharides, seasoning, activity, agitation, effervescence, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, splutter, perturbation, stir, bustle, voluntary energy, quicksilver, resolution, exertion, excitation, strong, energetic, forcible, active, intense, deep-dyed, severe, keen, vivid, sharp, acute, incisive, trenchant, brisk, rousing, irritation, poignant, virulent, caustic, corrosive, mordant, harsh, stringent, double-edged, double-shotted, double- distilled, drastic, escharotic, racy, potent, radioactive, strongly, fortiter in re, with telling effect, the steam is up, vires acquirit eundo, the race by vigor not by vaunts is won.
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