heartrending

adjective

heart·​rend·​ing ˈhärt-ˌren-diŋ How to pronounce heartrending (audio)
heartrendingly adverb

Examples of heartrending in a Sentence

couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The awards season might be in full swing, but Small Things Like These deserves to be acknowledge for its outstanding direction and beautiful cinematography, as much as it should be recognized for the poignant and heartrending performances from Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson, particularly. Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 Garfield’s aptitude for self-conscious interiority and expertly modifying the tone and intensity of his performance is perfectly suited for the earnest, chaotic and heartrending demands of this modern dramedy. Rory Doherty, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024 In its most heartrending section, a physical manifestation of the broken mother-child bond, 144 teak drawers slide open to display delicate objects that had been severed in half. Maria Laurino, The New Republic, 29 June 2023 Those possibilities become still more heartrending when Allison is allowed out on parole for a day, in scenes that Breslin plays with a wrenching mix of toughness, resignation and despair. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartrending was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near heartrending

Cite this Entry

“Heartrending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartrending. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

heartrending

adjective
heart·​rend·​ing ˈhärt-ˌren-diŋ How to pronounce heartrending (audio)
: causing heartbreak
a heartrending tragedy
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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