Pointed describes something with a sharp end or tip, like a pencil, an arrow, or the top of a wizard's hat. A pointed stick tapers down to a fine point that could poke you, while a pointed roof comes to a peak instead of lying flat.

The word also describes remarks or questions that are direct and specific, in a way that makes someone uncomfortable. When your teacher asks a pointed question about whether you actually read the assigned chapter, she's not making casual conversation: she's zeroing in on something specific she suspects. A pointed comment about someone always being late isn't a gentle hint, it's a clear criticism aimed right at the problem.

You might notice that both meanings share something in common. Just as a pointed object concentrates its shape into a sharp tip, a pointed remark concentrates attention onto one specific issue. When your friend makes a pointed observation that you've borrowed three pencils this week without returning them, the comment has a sharp edge to it, focused exactly where it will have the most effect.

The word pointedly means doing something in a deliberately obvious way to make sure someone notices. If you pointedly look at your watch while someone tells a long, boring story, you're making your impatience crystal clear.