1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
heartrending memories of all the terrible crimes he'd committed and was sorry for now
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
the heartrending sight of a starving child holding out his hands for food
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartrending
For Emma, the heartrending decision became clear came the night the police descended on her North Miami neighborhood.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
His appearance, stopping them in their tracks, is one of the most heartrending moments of any movie.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The air was cooler up here, the signage sparing, the views of granite domes and uninterrupted forest vast and heartrending.
—Gloria Liu, Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2025
The film blends documentary and fiction to tell the dramatic and heartrending story of Mongolian herders Davaasuren Dagvasuren and Otgonzaya Dashzeveg’s difficult decision to leave their homelands after the arrival of a powerful and destructive sandstorm.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
After the latest heartrending horse carriage incident, activists and some Big Apple officials renewed their calls to outlaw the industry.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
In writing this book, Guralnick earned the trust of Parker’s second wife and widow, Loanne, who fills in some heartrending details.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Friedland has drawn upon those experiences for her tender and heartrending debut feature, Familiar Touch.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 20 June 2025
It’s rooted in the same heartrending themes about tapping into power through passion, but sets itself apart by exploring the story through the specificity of Indian culture.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
His appearance, stopping them in their tracks, is one of the most heartrending moments of any movie.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The air was cooler up here, the signage sparing, the views of granite domes and uninterrupted forest vast and heartrending.
—Gloria Liu, Outside Online, 22 Oct. 2025
The film blends documentary and fiction to tell the dramatic and heartrending story of Mongolian herders Davaasuren Dagvasuren and Otgonzaya Dashzeveg’s difficult decision to leave their homelands after the arrival of a powerful and destructive sandstorm.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2025
After the latest heartrending horse carriage incident, activists and some Big Apple officials renewed their calls to outlaw the industry.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
In writing this book, Guralnick earned the trust of Parker’s second wife and widow, Loanne, who fills in some heartrending details.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Aug. 2025
Friedland has drawn upon those experiences for her tender and heartrending debut feature, Familiar Touch.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 20 June 2025
It’s rooted in the same heartrending themes about tapping into power through passion, but sets itself apart by exploring the story through the specificity of Indian culture.
—Courtney Howard, Variety, 6 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartrending
Adjective
-
To many, this is a sad, depressing thought.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Shortly after the film begins, Jago returns home from the war alone with the sad news that Seamus has been killed.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Four years later, at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Gabrielle Daleman could only bury her face in her hands after the Canadian’s disappointing free skate, her painful reaction beamed to a global audience.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
As painful as this pain deep in the heart is, the healing has already begun with all the outpouring of love, prayers, and support.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hitler’s personal copy of History of the Expedition, the narrative of the tragic Wegener venture, can be perused in the rare-book collection at the Library of Congress among the 1,200 or so remnant volumes from Hitler’s private library.—
Timothy W. Ryback,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Emmy winner Paris Barclay‘s 105-minute chronicle of the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Billy Preston is a treasure trove for classic rock and soul music fans.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For a film such a this to arrive in a FIFA World Cup year is a stark reminder of the entwinement between soccer and corruption, and De Pauw’s performance as Mayor Dumont — a man inclined to compartmentalize and pass the buck — is wonderfully pathetic.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
These clowns don't even have the courage of their pathetic White supremacist convictions.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Firstly, the jail is depressing and the people who work there are not always nice, particularly to reporters.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Despite this, black-market Stingers have had a depressing tendency to surface in conflicts around the world.—
David Szondy
February 08,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bathroom Fixtures There are no harsh or abrasive chemicals involved in steam cleaning bathroom fixtures.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And that’s how the forward ended up under a too-bright light at the end of this season, burdened with the unfortunate responsibility of being one of the few players the front office felt was worth investing in long term.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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After Ellis’ unfortunate and sudden passing in 1986, Marc Jacobs was named creative director of the brand in 1988.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Policymakers globally are increasingly worried that the unequal adoption of AI risks widening income and development gaps between rich and poor countries.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In November, Jesse Jackon was hospitalized again after suffering a fall while protesting poor campus living conditions with students at Howard University.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heartrending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartrending. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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