as in gruesome
informal
causing great mental or emotional pain
gut-wrenching decisions the novel's gut-wrenching opening scene
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Recent Examples of gut-wrenching
The judge will decide whether the plea deal between Olea’s lawyers and prosecutors will stand or whether it will be tossed out in favor of a trial, which is expected to be lengthy and gut-wrenching with victims’ testimony.
—
Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2025
Charlotte Lawrence loves a good, gut-wrenching, sad song.
—Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
On July 23, Tom Ferebee dropped a Little Boy test bomb off Tinian as the plane rehearsed the gut-wrenching 155-degree right bank necessary to escape the blast.
—David Perlmutt, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2025
His most gut-wrenching setback, however, came when he was not selected to be a part of the men’s 4x100 lineup in 2008.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2025
Charlotte Lawrence loves a good, gut-wrenching, sad song.
—Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
On July 23, Tom Ferebee dropped a Little Boy test bomb off Tinian as the plane rehearsed the gut-wrenching 155-degree right bank necessary to escape the blast.
—David Perlmutt, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2025
His most gut-wrenching setback, however, came when he was not selected to be a part of the men’s 4x100 lineup in 2008.
—Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gut-wrenching
Adjective
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Gonzalez-Rasalas was charged with murder, desecrating a body and auto theft in a gruesome 2023 Easter Sunday homicide.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Sep. 2025
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At the time, and in the next nearly two years, the Kansas City region also experienced the gruesome abuse and neglect deaths of three children ages 4 to 6, including one boy who fell from a 17th floor apartment window in November 2023.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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An initial report of a paralyzed kitten being thrown down a staircase led police in Northern Ohio to a home where officers reported finding 13 young children living in horrific conditions.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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But, really, does enough training exist that would prepare anyone for such a horrific emergency?—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Audi's done a terrific job applying a restrained retro-futuristic approach to the interiors.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
3 Sep. 2025
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The Detroit Lions went 15-2 last season, finishing with the best record in the NFC behind an explosive offense and some terrific coaching.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The impressive amount of hair on the top of his head owes everything to United’s shocking results on the field.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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Seeing the Packers miss the playoffs would be a shocking outcome for the 2025 season.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Philip Bunting’s new picture book uses this tall tale as a starting point for a funny and sweet story about a misunderstood dropbear and a little bird who’s determined to discover if the rumors about Dropbear’s terrifying behavior are true.—
Caroline Carlson
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
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Set largely inside the White House, the film imagines the terrifying scenario of an imminent nuclear missile strike on the United States by an unknown adversary, forcing military and civilian leaders to make impossible decisions under crushing time pressure.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The case became even more horrifying when he was accused of plotting to silence a key witness.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
2 Sep. 2025
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Bigelow’s work is procedural to its core, and that this film is a speculative what-if is made all the more horrifying because of its banality.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Yes, this Jaguars pass rush is formidable; Josh Hines-Allen is no joke.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
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With the Chiefs appearing more vulnerable in a season coming off a Super Bowl trouncing, Buffalo—which opens its 2025 campaign Sunday night at home against another formidable foe, the Baltimore Ravens—is poised for a breakthrough.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Thunderstorms and lightning, very very frightening.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Since the release of 2013's The Conjuring, the frightening franchise has generally lost steam at the box office.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gut-wrenching. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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