gut-wrenching

adjective

gut-wrench·​ing ˈgət-ˌren-chiŋ 

: causing mental or emotional anguish

Examples of gut-wrenching in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Losing a game that was seemingly in the bag — like Friday night — was tough on Venable but no doubt gut-wrenching for Getz as well. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

After celebrating the breakaway goal, Egypt’s players quickly got that gut-wrenching, sinking feeling that comes with a VAR review. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Its portrayal of overwhelming, gut-wrenching grief could easily leave its characters cynical about love. — Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Savannah stepped back from her role on Today at the time, sharing a number of gut-wrenching pleas to the public with the hope of finding her mother. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 8 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gut-wrenching

• entrenching
• clenching
• drenching
• quenching
• trenching
• wrenching