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Glite Dictionary
poignance

poignance

1 8.7
A strong feeling of sadness that deeply moves someone
  • noun
  • /ˈpɔɪnəns/
  • Literature
translation icon : profundidad
  • The poignance of the story left a lasting impression on everyone who heard it.

Examples

  • The film's poignance made many audience members cry during the final scene.

  • There was poignance, too.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The comments they post on TripAdvisor.com, for example, and on individual blogs yield a combination of sadness and poignance, often with mention of tears.

    Academic text (2014)

  • If we feel the poignance of Fushia's end, for example, it is not because he is a "sympathetic character," but because he is a character who courageously defies his fate and acutely analyzes his experience.

    Academic text (1990)

  • As she read the letter from her late grandmother, she felt a deep poignance wash over her.

Synonyms

poignancy
vspoignance
5 8.0

A strong, sad feeling that moves you

has identical sense but is a different word form for that feeling
pathos
vspoignance
  • Literature
1 7.5

A quality in art or speech that makes people feel pity and deep sadness

is used more for personal deep sadness and intense distress
somberness
vspoignance
  • US
1 6.5

A serious, sad mood that feels quiet and heavy

focuses on strong, intense sadness or emotional distress rather than mood

Antonyms

happiness
970 1.0

A feeling of pleasure and being satisfied

joyfulness
1 2.0

A strong feeling of happiness and excitement

How Moving

heartbreak
76 3.9
poignance
  • Literature
1 8.7
tenderness
41 3.4
sadness
229 1.0

Surface Forms

poignance singular
poignances plural

Morphology

poignance = poignant (transparent) = poign + ance

This is a regular nominalization from the adjective 'poignant', and the noun meaning follows directly from the base with only a minor spelling reduction.

Etymology

Poignance comes from French 'poignant' and the Latin root pungere, which means 'to prick' and is like the English word point. So, poignance describes a 'sharp' feeling that 'pricks' you with sadness or strong emotion.