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
On Saturday, the franchise had to make another gut-wrenching injury announcement.
—
Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024
But looking to bounce back from the sting of a gut-wrenching loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the Lakers (13-11) took care of business, beating the Blazers 107-98 to end their three-game losing streak.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
With the gut-wrenching death scene, a comforting dog, the aging flash-forwards and the Heaven-like ending, did the series finale give anyone else Supernatural series finale vibes?
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 6 Dec. 2024
The company announced several years of delays in constructing its first large-scale commercial plant, leading to a gut-wrenching fall in share price over just a few harrowing trading sessions.
—Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gut-wrenching 
Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Dec. 2024
But looking to bounce back from the sting of a gut-wrenching loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, the Lakers (13-11) took care of business, beating the Blazers 107-98 to end their three-game losing streak.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 8 Dec. 2024
With the gut-wrenching death scene, a comforting dog, the aging flash-forwards and the Heaven-like ending, did the series finale give anyone else Supernatural series finale vibes?
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 6 Dec. 2024
The company announced several years of delays in constructing its first large-scale commercial plant, leading to a gut-wrenching fall in share price over just a few harrowing trading sessions.
—Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gut-wrenching
Adjective
-
Ten people were murdered in the New York City subway system last year — including the recent, random and gruesome immolation of a homeless New Jersey woman asleep on a Brooklyn train — up from five murders in 2023.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
16 Jan. 2025
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Did Hawthorne base these characters on the Rev. Ephraim Avery and his young congregant Sarah Maria Cornell, whose gruesome death in 1832 in Fall River, 50 miles south of Boston, shocked all of New England?—
Liesl Schillinger,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This individual’s conduct and language were vile, disgusting, unacceptable, and horrific and have no place in our workplace and society.—
Ryan Gaydos,
Fox News,
15 Jan. 2025
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The horrific Palisades Fire may have started at a spot near the popular Temescal Ridge trail.—
Andrew Moseman,
The Atlantic,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Houston’s defense was terrific Saturday, with four interceptions of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and four sacks.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Jan. 2025
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Green Bay will now need a terrific offseason to challenge the conference’s top teams.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
On Monday, in a shocking move, Disney announced a deal to merge its Hulu + Live TV service with competitor Fubo.—
Alex Weprin,
The Hollywood Reporter,
10 Jan. 2025
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In fact, the difference is actually pretty shocking.—
Kleigh Balugo,
StyleCaster,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The stability and flexibility around Josh Allen makes for a terrifying formula.—
Derrik Klassen,
The Athletic,
15 Jan. 2025
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What’s more terrifying than losing control of your physical and mental self as your most primal, animalistic instincts take the wheel?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Someone, anyone, needs to step up and take the reins here, as the Flyers have looked formidable otherwise.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
The Athletic,
10 Jan. 2025
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After navigating a few early hiccups—which included, of all things, snail slime—TikTok Shop proved formidable; the app’s surge in vendors outpaced competitors like Amazon, which TikTok ultimately wants to replace (or at least dethrone).—
Jason Parham,
WIRED,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The glorious few who still worry about the decline of Palm Beach society speculated wildly that Trump was planning to legalize gambling and build a casino, or — the truly frightening possibility — subdivide his acreage and sell houses.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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In a cast full of mothers, the women are naturally sympathetic, triggered by the idea that something that frightening could happen to them too – only to be a little flummoxed at the full picture as more details started to come out.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Two women were now the lead anchors on Today, creating a powerful symbolism just as terrible revelations were surfacing about several men in the industry.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
10 Jan. 2025
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The Los Angeles wildfires have been a terrible tragedy.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near gut-wrenching
Cite this Entry
“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gut-wrenching. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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