Definitions

heart-rending

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heart-wrenching adj.
heartbreaking adj.
distressing adj.
grievous adj.
harrowing adj.
poignant adj.
sad adj.
touching adj.
tragic adj.

ADJECTIVE

heart-wrenching

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agonizing distressing gut-wrenching harrowing heartbreaking heartrending painful piteous sorrowful tormenting

STRONG

moving pitiful sad tear-jerking touching tragic

Antonyms

STRONGEST

happy heartwarming pleasant pleasing

ADJECTIVE

heartbreaking

Synonyms

STRONGEST

affecting agonizing calamitous dire distressing heart-wrenching poignant sad touching tragic unfortunate

WEAK

afflictive bitter cheerless deplorable grievous joyless lamentable moving pitiful regrettable

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blessed comforting fortunate good happy lucky unaffecting

WEAK

exhilarating heartwarming joyous wonderful

ADJECTIVE

distressing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deplorable dreadful frightening painful poignant regrettable sad troublesome

STRONG

heart-wrenching nagging

WEAK

afflictive distressful fearful grievous woeful

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful delightful easy fortunate happy lucky pleasant

WEAK

comforting

ADJECTIVE

grievous

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling atrocious calamitous damaging deplorable dire dreadful egregious flagrant glaring heinous intolerable lamentable monstrous outrageous shameful shocking tragic unbearable

WEAK

afflicting agonizing dismal disquieting distressing disturbing grave harmful heavy hurtful injurious mournful offensive onerous oppressive pathetic pitiful sad sharp sorrowful taxing tough troublesome upsetting villainous weighty wounding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

acceptable bearable blessed comforting concealed delightful favorable fortunate good happy hidden little lucky magnificent mild pleasing tolerable wonderful

WEAK

harmless pleasant

ADJECTIVE

harrowing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agonizing chilling distressing disturbing excruciating heart-wrenching heartbreaking painful terrifying torturous traumatic

STRONG

alarming racking soaring tearing tormenting torturing

WEAK

nerve-racking

Antonyms

STRONGEST

pleasant

WEAK

calming pleasing unfrightening

ADJECTIVE

poignant

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bitter disturbing emotional heartbreaking heartrending moving passionate pathetic sad sentimental touching

WEAK

agitating agonizing distressing impressive intense perturbing piteous pitiful sorrowful upsetting

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy indifferent unaffecting unemotional unmoving wonderful

WEAK

blah blunt calm dull numb pleasant soothing

ADJECTIVE

sad

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bad dark depressing dismal miserable moving pathetic pitiful poignant regrettable serious sorry tragic

STRONG

discouraging disheartening dreary grave joyless melancholic saddening tear-jerking upsetting

WEAK

calamitous deplorable disastrous discomposing dispiriting funereal grievous hapless lachrymose lamentable lugubrious oppressive pitiable shabby tearful unsatisfactory wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantageous blessed bright cheerful encouraging fortunate glad good happy hopeful joyful light lucky pleasant right unaffecting

ADJECTIVE

touching

Synonyms

STRONGEST

heartbreaking pathetic poignant sad stirring stunning wistful

STRONG

compassionate melting tender

WEAK

emotive impressive mind-blowing piteous pitiable pitiful responsive sympathetic tear-jerking

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy

STRONG

hard

WEAK

unaffecting unmoving

ADJECTIVE

tragic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

appalling awful calamitous cataclysmic deadly deplorable destructive dire disastrous dreadful fatal fateful grievous grim harrowing heartbreaking miserable painful pathetic pitiful sad shocking terrible unfortunate

WEAK

adverse anguished crushing deathly desolate doleful forlorn hapless ill-fated ill-starred lamentable mournful pitiable ruinous sorrowful unhappy woeful wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

blessed calming cheerful comforting delightful encouraging excellent fortunate good great happy harmless healthful healthy hopeful joyful joyous life-giving lucky nice pleasant pleasing trivial unimportant wholesome wonderful worthwhile

WEAK

advantageous successful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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heart-rending

Chinese users of AI-powered companion bots have bid heart-rending farewells to their virtual buddies as national regulations took effect Wednesday aimed at curbing the risk of emotional dependency.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

That leaves IVF patients with the heart-rending decision of when to stop trying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025

Oversight of what was the UK's largest opencast coalmine has been described as a case of "epic mismanagement" with "heart-rending" impacts for local people.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2024

Del Toro won that Academy Award in 2023 for his heart-rending, World War II-set “Pinocchio,” co-directed with the late Mark Gustafson.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2024

A peculiar and heart-rending gasp of final sorrow came from the Laughing Man.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

heart-rending

Example Sentences

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