Meaning & use
heart-wrenching
Causing intense feelings of sadness or grief, often described as almost unbearable to witness.
See it in a sentence
The documentary told a heart-wrenching story of a family separated by war.
Watching the shelter dogs wait for adoption was a heart-wrenching experience for volunteers.
A note on using this word
Heart-wrenching is reserved for genuinely tragic or painful situations, not everyday disappointments.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
heartwarming
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “heart-wrenching”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.