as in gruesome
informal
causing great mental or emotional pain
gut-wrenching decisions the novel's gut-wrenching opening scene
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gut-wrenching
Every new detail about the case has been more gut-wrenching than the last, and with each passing moment without any real leads, the concern about Nancy Guthrie’s well-being grows.
—
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 9 Feb. 2026
Raha’s story has spread quickly in recent weeks in part because her Telegram posts express a joyful nature that is now gut-wrenching to behold.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Hearing those words was gut-wrenching.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 9 Feb. 2026
Raha’s story has spread quickly in recent weeks in part because her Telegram posts express a joyful nature that is now gut-wrenching to behold.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Hearing those words was gut-wrenching.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gut-wrenching
Adjective
-
The gruesome images of tanks blown apart by drones in Ukraine did not dissuade anyone from purchasing these systems.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Because of his ability to appeal to jurors with at times folksy explanations of gruesome subjects like the dynamic of blood spatter, prosecution and defense lawyers competed for his testimony at trials.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The horrific shooting has rocked the Plainville community, with its reverberations being felt throughout the state.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
A lot of his struggles stemmed from the Raiders’ horrific offensive line.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a terrific movie buried in a two-and-a-half-hour runtime — which cost him a competition slot at Venice.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Both Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm scored two goals apiece and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves for a terrific win.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The exhibition pairs their work together, showing the value of shocking style in a moment of conservatism.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Pastor Stephen Perumalla said the circumstances are shocking.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The terrifying cadence of airstrikes shapes daily life in Tehran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
People sometimes got a horrifying glimpse of a fellow traveler in pajamas.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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In court Wednesday, Patricia explained those horrifying moments.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Yahoo will be competing against a familiar foil in Google, which remains the same formidable force that spelled the company's demise 20 years ago and has been progressively layering more AI into its search engine with its Gemini technology.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Then finding the players who can execute them has made UConn the sport’s most formidable force.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The idea of frightening children into basic courtesy scares Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
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Facing the future may mean confronting difficult questions and frightening scenarios.—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gut-wrenching. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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