2 syllables: Poi, gnant. Stress on Poi.
POY-nyuhnt
/ˈpɔɪnjənt/
Poignant is pronounced POY-nyuhnt (/ˈpɔɪnjənt/). It has two syllables (Poi-gnant), with the stress on "Poi". Poignant is a word used to describe something that evokes a keen sense of sadness, regret, or heartfelt emotion. It often conveys depth and significance, leaving a strong, lingering impression. In addition to its emotional charge, it can also describe something sharp or pungent in a figurative sense, intensifying its impact in discourse.
nounPoignant is a word used to describe something that evokes a keen sense of sadness, regret, or heartfelt emotion. It often conveys depth and significance, leaving a strong, lingering impression. In addition to its emotional charge, it can also describe something sharp or pungent in a figurative sense, intensifying its impact in discourse.
"The documentary presented a poignant portrait of the survivors, moving viewers to tears."
"Her speech made a poignant appeal for unity and hope in difficult times."
"The novel is full of poignant scenes that linger long after the last page is turned."
Poignant is pronounced POY-nyənt (US/UK: /ˈpɔɪn.jənt/). The stress is on the first syllable. Start with the /p/ burst, glide into the /ɔɪ/ diphthong, then a light /n/ followed by /jə/ (like 'yu' in 'yet'), and end with /nt/. In rapid speech, the /j/ can be very light, almost merging with the schwa; keep the /nt/ clear to avoid saying 'poignant' as 'poyn-uh-unt'. Audio cues: you should hear a crisp stop, then a rising diphthong, finishing with a clipped nasal and dental nasal cluster.
Common errors include: 1) Flattening the /ɔɪ/ into a flat /ɔ/ sound (saying 'po-unt'). 2) Dropping the /n/ or turning the /j/ into a hard 'y' sound ('po-ynant'). 3) Overemphasizing the final 'ant' as 'ant' with a strong schwa; the ending should be light and quick, /jənt/ not /jənt/ fully; avoid turning it into 'poignent'. Focus on keeping the diphthong intact and finishing with a crisp /nt/ blend. Correct approach keeps POY-nyənt with a smooth, quick transition to the nasal cluster.
In US English, US /ˈpɔɪn.jənt/ features a rhotic r not present here; the /ɔɪ/ diphthong tends to be tenser and the final /ənt/ may reduce to /ən/ in rapid speech. UK English also uses /ˈpɔɪn.jənt/ with a similar diphthong, but non-rhotic tendencies can soften the final /t/ and the /j/ blending. Australian English generally preserves the /ɔɪ/ diphthong clearly and may articulate the final /t/ more distinctly, though some speakers may end with a light /t/ or flap-like release. Across all, stress remains on the first syllable; the vowel quality is central to the perceived accuracy.
The difficulty lies in the careful articulation of the /ɔɪ/ diphthong and the delicate sequence /njə/ before the final /nt/. English learners often blur the /ɔɪ/ into /ɔ/ or misplace the /j/ as a separate syllable, creating 'poi-gnant' or 'poy-nent'. The final /nt/ should be a crisp dental-alveolar stop cluster, not a heavy 't' or a swallowed ending. Practicing the transition from /ɔɪ/ to /nj/ is key; think of gliding from /ɔɪ/ into a subtle /nj/ before the nasal /t/ finish, keeping the syllables tight and connected.
A unique detail is the presence of the /nj/ sequence after the diphthong /ɔɪ/ — some speakers slightly separate the /n/ and /j/, but the typical natural pronunciation links them as /nj/ before the /ənt/. This yields the compact syllable break POI-NYANT rather than POI-N- Yann-t. Keeping the /ɔɪ/ together and then a light, quick /nj/ before the silent-ish /ənt/ helps most non-native speakers achieve a native-like cadence.
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Poignant comes from the Old French poignant meaning 'piercing, keen, acute, biting' from poindre, 'to pierce' or 'to sting', which itself derives from the Latin poignare, from pungere, 'to prick, to stab'. The sense evolution tracks a shift from physical sharpness to figurative sharpness of feeling. In English, poignant appeared by the 15th century in reference to physical pain or sensation and gradually broadened to describe emotional or intellectual sharpness. Over time, it retained its sense of a penetrating impact—whether emotionally moving or strikingly pointed in argument. The French base poindre / poing- also yields related terms such as pungent and poignancy in modern usage, reflecting the core idea of something that pierces or leaves a lasting mark. First known English attestations appear in Middle English literature, with early usage in contexts where a sensory or emotional sting is implied. By the 17th–18th centuries, the figurative sense was well established in literary prose, and today poignant is a staple in reviews, critiques, and narrative prose to denote a powerful, often bittersweet, resonance.
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Words that rhyme with "Poignant"
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