heart-wrenching
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heart-wrenching
First recorded in 1835–40; heart ( def. ) + wrench ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
If something is terribly sad, it's heart-wrenching. Your best friend might think Romeo and Juliet is ridiculous, but you're not alone if you find the tragic ending absolutely heart-wrenching. Heart-wrenching is a perfect way to describe something that's so sad it feels like your heart has been permanently damaged — wrenched or twisted by grief. You might also call it "heartbreaking" or "heartrending," words that also attempt to capture a sense of despair or sorrow. A heart-wrenching movie leaves you weeping at the end, and the sudden loss of your wonderful dog is heart-wrenching for the whole family.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But in the face of all the heart-wrenching testimonials, the founder of the Research Hematology-Oncology Service at Texas Children’s Hospital took to the microphone.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
The war years also comprise the most heart-wrenching sections of Ms. Ostler’s book.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Saying goodbye is a heart-wrenching experience for many, no matter if the passing was expected or sudden.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
The heart-wrenching effort to locate victims continues online, on a government website that compiles information on survivors and the missing, alongside numerous pleas for help.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
And the biggest, most heart-wrenching question of all: If the long-lost Lumleys were alive and well, then where, oh where, had they been all these years?
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
