Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

heartrending

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of heartrending

1 causing unhappiness
  • I couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos.
Synonyms of heartrending

depressing, dismal, dreary, heartbreaking, melancholy, mournful, pathetic, sad, saddening, sorry, tearful, teary
Words Related to heartrending

deplorable, distressful, grievous, lamentable, unfortunate, woeful

discomforting, discomposing, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing

discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting
Near Antonyms of heartrending

heartening, heartwarming, inspiring, stimulating, stirring, uplifting

agreeable, delightful, enjoyable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome

exhilarating, thrilling
Antonyms of heartrending

cheering, cheery, glad, happy
2 hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
  • a heartrending decision to break up
Synonyms of heartrending

afflicting, agonizing, bitter, cruel, excruciating, galling, grievous, harrowing, harsh, hurtful, painful, tormenting, torturous
Words Related to heartrending

insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unacceptable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable

appalling, awful, bad, dire, dreadful, ghastly, horrible, miserable, nasty, rotten, severe, terrible, vile, wretched

acute, extreme, intense, piercing
Near Antonyms of heartrending

bearable, endurable, supportable, sustainable, tolerable

livable (also liveable), sufferable, survivable

acceptable, allowable, reasonable
Antonyms of heartrending

gratifying, pleasing, sweet
3 of a kind to cause great distress
  • heartrending memories of all the crimes he'd committed and now regretted
Synonyms of heartrending

deplorable, distressful, distressing, grievous, heartbreaking, lamentable, regrettable, tragic (also tragical), unfortunate, unlucky, woeful
Words Related to heartrending

troublesome, vexatious

affecting, doleful, moving, piteous, poignant, ruthful, touching

awful, dire, dreadful, fearful, severe, terrible

alarming, disturbing, perturbing, traumatic, unsettling

crushing, excruciating, harrowing, horrible, horrifying, intolerable, overwhelming, shocking, sickening, unbearable

miserable, pitiful, sad, wretched

calamitous, disastrous
Near Antonyms of heartrending

gratifying, pleasing, rewarding, satisfying

comforting, encouraging, heartening

cheering, heartwarming, inspiring

fortunate, happy, lucky
4 deserving of one's pity
  • the heartrending sight of a starving child holding out his hands for food
Synonyms of heartrending

heartbreaking, miserable, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, rueful, sorry, wretched
Words Related to heartrending

deplorable, lamentable, regrettable

emotional, impressive, inspiring

affecting, moving, poignant, stirring, touching

distressing, disturbing, upsetting

grievous, mournful, sad, sorrowful, woeful
Near Antonyms of heartrending

unimpressive, uninspiring

Learn More about heartrending

  1. See words that rhyme with heartrending Dictionary: Definition of heartrending

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up heartrending? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games