Synonyms of heartrending

heartrending

adjective

ˈhärt-ˌren-diŋ 

1

as in sad

causing unhappiness

couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sad
• depressing
• heartbreaking
• pathetic
• mournful
• tearful
• unfortunate
• melancholy
• disturbing
• saddening
• teary
• dismal
• dreary
• drear
• sorry
• distressful
• distressing
• poignant
• lamentable
• deplorable
• touching
• moving
• disquieting
• grievous
• discomforting
• perturbing
• woeful
• disheartening
• dispiriting
• affecting
• discouraging
• discomposing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• happy
• glad
• inspiring
• cheery
• heartening
• uplifting
• stirring
• stimulating
• pleasant
• delightful
• satisfying
• pleasing
• agreeable
• heartwarming
• cheering
• enjoyable
• welcome
• pleasurable
• thrilling
• exhilarating

2

as in painful

hard to accept or bear especially emotionally

a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son

Synonyms & Similar Words

• painful
• harsh
• cruel
• torturous
• harrowing
• agonizing
• terrible
• excruciating
• horrible
• bitter
• hurtful
• grievous
• galling
• severe
• unacceptable
• awful
• unbearable
• tormenting
• dreadful
• afflicting
• intolerable
• dire
• intense
• bad
• appalling
• unendurable
• insupportable
• miserable
• vile
• insufferable
• ghastly
• extreme
• acute
• unsupportable
• wretched
• nasty
• rotten
• piercing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sweet
• gratifying
• pleasing
• bearable
• tolerable
• sustainable
• endurable
• supportable
• acceptable
• survivable
• reasonable
• livable
• allowable
• sufferable

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tragic
• unfortunate
• terrible
• distressing
• heartbreaking
• shocking
• painful
• disturbing
• horrible
• regrettable
• grievous
• lamentable
• distressful
• deplorable
• woeful
• unsettling
• sad
• dire
• sickening
• unlucky
• poignant
• awful
• disastrous
• severe
• dreadful
• pitiful
• piteous
• unbearable
• fearful
• harrowing
• miserable
• doleful
• troublesome
• traumatic
• alarming
• crushing
• moving
• horrifying
• touching
• overwhelming
• vexatious
• wretched
• excruciating
• intolerable
• affecting
• perturbing
• calamitous
• ruthful
• sharp
• raging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rewarding
• satisfying
• gratifying
• pleasing
• heartening
• comforting
• encouraging
• inspiring
• fortunate
• happy
• heartwarming
• lucky
• cheering

4

as in pathetic

deserving of one's pity

the heartrending sight of a starving child holding out his hands for food

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pathetic
• poor
• pitiful
• wretched
• miserable
• sorry
• heartbreaking
• pitiable
• piteous
• sad
• disturbing
• horrible
• rueful
• emotional
• terrible
• poignant
• impressive
• inspiring
• mournful
• regrettable
• lamentable
• distressing
• deplorable
• moving
• awful
• touching
• stirring
• sorrowful
• affecting
• grievous
• upsetting
• woeful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unimpressive
• uninspiring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of heartrending

Mitchell Arens’ cinematography simulates a fugue-like state that mirrors the vortex of grief that pervades through this heartrending film. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026

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

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

With deeply resonating performances from its leads, Hannah and Daniel, the film draws an audience into the psychological intensity of these characters in a heartrending and hopeful manner. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 May 2026