Meaning & use
wrenching
Causing intense emotional distress or pain.
See it in a sentence
Watching her childhood home burn down was a wrenching experience for the whole family.
The novel's final chapter is genuinely wrenching, ending with an unexpected loss.
A note on using this word
Wrenching often appears combined with 'heart,' as in 'heart-wrenching,' to intensify the emotional weight of a description.
Words with a similar meaning
heartbreakingagonizing
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
comforting
Make it your own
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