gut-wrenching

adjective

gut-wrench·​ing ˈgət-ˌren-chiŋ How to pronounce gut-wrenching (audio)
: causing mental or emotional anguish

Examples of gut-wrenching in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The most gut-wrenching moments of the RJC gathering occurred as Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of a young American hostage, spoke Thursday evening. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024 Fuller includes many gut-wrenching passages like the one above throughout the book, making his arguments sink in with the reader. Marybeth Gasman, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024 So maybe — just maybe — conscientious leftists in the Americas are coming to the gut-wrenching realization this week that unconscionable leftists like Maduro are clubbing leftism’s image to a bloody pulp and kicking it into a ditch to die. Tim Padgett, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2024 And for Inslee — who put climate front and center during his brief presidential campaign in 2019 — repeal would be an especially gut-wrenching loss. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for gut-wrenching 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gut-wrenching.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gut-wrenching was in 1972

Dictionary Entries Near gut-wrenching

Cite this Entry

“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gut-wrenching. Accessed 13 Sep. 2024.

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