gut-wrenching

adjective

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Guertin provided gut-wrenching testimony in district court about the ordeal and Matthews’ horrific last moments during a preliminary exam in February. Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 1 June 2023 For example, if someone has suffered from an illness or gut-wrenching heartbreak, their life line may develop some sort of mark to indicate that, Goldberg explains. Alyssa Girdwain, Women's Health, 31 May 2023 This newer material, full of gut-wrenching punches, outshines her older, sweeter acoustic albums. Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2023 Worst-case scenarios are standard fare Week 13 blowout losses for Jets fans, if not unthinkably gut-wrenching playoff collapses in the best of times. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2023 Instead, the Beavers suffered a pair of gut-wrenching defeats, succumbing to back-to-back rallies by the Sun Devils. Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 24 Apr. 2023 But the Washington Post published a gut-wrenching report on Monday about two separate cases in which hospitals dangerously delayed care for women experiencing this condition in Broward County, Fla., in December 2022. John Mccormack, National Review, 10 Apr. 2023 The Aztecs outlasted Creighton, 57-56, in a game drenched in drama with a controversial foul call, gut-wrenching free throws, a length-of-the-court pass, a premature celebration, a minutes-long review by officials — all in the final 1.2 seconds — to seal a spot in the Final Four. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2023 Regardless, the bottom line was a gut-wrenching loss for Dallas on a night in which Luka Doncic returned from a five-game thigh-injury absence by contributing 30 points, 17 assists and 7 rebounds. Brad Townsend, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2023 See More

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 9 Jun. 2023.

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