Pronunciation guide

How to pronounce poignant

POY-nyunt - two syllables; the 'g' blends into a 'ny' sound

US/ˈpɔɪ.njənt/

pɔɪnjənt

UK/ˈpɔɪ.njənt/

pɔɪnjənt

New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.

Common mistake

The 'g' is not a hard 'g' - 'POY-nyunt', not 'POYG-nunt'.

What “poignant” means

Evoking a keen sense of sadness, regret, or tenderness; deeply moving.

Sharp or pungent to the senses; (archaic) sharp-pointed.

In a sentence

  • A poignant memory from childhood can stay with you for years.
  • Her speech gave a poignant critique of the era's policies.

Say it out loud a few times, then check yourself.

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Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.