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.
But as the album’s fifth track — a place typically reserved for Swift’s most gut-wrenching works — fans knew to prepare for something emotional. Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2025 Signature wins have turned into gut-wrenching losses. Mike Jones, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 In her sit-down with Hudson, Holliday spoke about the legacy of the gut-wrenching ballad and the character, Effie, amid news of the Dreamgirls Broadway revival. Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 25 Sep. 2025 The Alaska State Troopers Active Missing Persons Bulletins webpage shows the faces of more than 150 missing people, each with a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking story. Bjorn Dihle, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 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 14 Oct. 2025.

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