What does poignant mean?
Word: Poignant
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Poignant means causing a strong feeling of gentle sadness or tenderness.
Synonyms: moving
How do you spell poignant?
Syllables: poi - gnant
Tricky part: The g makes no sound of its own, and what you hear in the middle is close to the ny in canyon, so pupils leave the g out.
Watch out for: poinant, poynant
Memory tip: A poignant moment can leave you lost for words, and the g has lost its voice too: it stays on the page in silence.
Poignant in a sentence
Example 1: The old class photograph brought back poignant memories for my grandmother.
Example 2: There was a poignant moment when the Class 12 pupils sang their last song together.
Example 3: The film has a poignant scene in which two childhood friends share one last mango from the old tree.
Fun Fact
The word reached English through French from a Latin verb meaning to prick, so a poignant memory is one that gives the heart a small, sharp sting.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
poigniant
a) i
b) a
c) o
d) g
Show answer
a) i. The ny sound in the middle tempts spellers to add a vowel after the n, but nothing is needed there.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word:
The reunion ended with a nnoaigtp look back at the years gone by.
a) pleasant
b) piquant
c) pungent
d) poignant
Show answer
d) poignant. A g, two n's and no q, u or l: that is enough to settle it.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word poignant as used in the sentence:
The retiring headmistress gave a poignant farewell speech to the school.
a) humorous
b) touching
c) formal
d) lengthy
Show answer
b) touching. A speech can be long or formal and still leave you cold; this word is about what it does to the listener's feelings.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. nostalgia 2. poignent 3. sentiment 4. melancholy
a) an opinion or feeling about something
b) affecting the heart with a quiet kind of sorrow
c) a fond longing for days gone by
d) a deep, lasting sadness of mind
Show answer
b) affecting the heart with a quiet kind of sorrow. The word ends in ant, like pleasant and elegant.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which scene is the most poignant?
a) a grandfather waving as a train leaves
b) a shopkeeper counting the day's takings
c) a class copying notes from the board
d) a crowd cheering a last-minute goal
Show answer
a) a grandfather waving as a train leaves
2. A critic praises a film's poignant ending. What is the audience likely to do?
a) complain about the seats
b) wipe away a quiet tear
c) roar with loud laughter
d) ask for their money back
Show answer
b) wipe away a quiet tear
