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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just last week, after Tommy Fleetwood's gut-wrenching Travelers loss, a viral video showed his wife, Clare, comforting him with a soft smile and warm hug that said more than words. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025 The team lost 1-0 in a rematch against the Atlas Lions in the final playoff game, bringing a gut-wrenching campaign to a heartbreaking conclusion. Ben Church, CNN Money, 21 June 2025 Whatever the reason, the casting adds so much more weight to Night of the Living Dead's gut-wrenching ending. James Grebey, Time, 20 June 2025 Any star will tell you the most gut-wrenching feeling is walking out of a playoff series, in a loss, while believing there was still more to give. Shane Young, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gut-wrenching. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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