as in gruesome
informal
causing great mental or emotional pain
gut-wrenching decisions the novel's gut-wrenching opening scene
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gut-wrenching
Image The most gut-wrenching images fueled an antiwar movement that considered the war unwinnable and unjust.
—
The New York Times, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The Detroit Pistons just suffered a gut-wrenching Game 3 loss at the hands of the New York Knicks, putting them in a 1-2 hole for the series.
—Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Christopher Landon is a master at making audiences vacillate between gut-wrenching terror and gut-busting laughter.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Before Denzel’s commanding presence or Viola’s gut-wrenching monologues, there was Sam Lucas, the first Black actor to play Uncle Tom in a 1914 silent film.
—Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
The New York Times, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
The Detroit Pistons just suffered a gut-wrenching Game 3 loss at the hands of the New York Knicks, putting them in a 1-2 hole for the series.
—Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Christopher Landon is a master at making audiences vacillate between gut-wrenching terror and gut-busting laughter.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Before Denzel’s commanding presence or Viola’s gut-wrenching monologues, there was Sam Lucas, the first Black actor to play Uncle Tom in a 1914 silent film.
—Essence, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gut-wrenching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gut-wrenching
Adjective
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Larvae of the parasitic fly chew through flesh, transforming small nicks into big, gruesome wounds.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2025
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The gruesome recovery comes in the wake of a gruesome February incident, when a body was found inside a suitcase floating in the East River.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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The war has carried a horrific toll for Gazans, with many dead amid the fighting and whole neighborhoods razed to the ground.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Instead of just ending on that horrific moment, the show then cuts to Abby several days earlier.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Even with challenging oppositions, Siakam has been terrific throughout the playoffs.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
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The second half of the film is simpler and stronger, with a terrific supporting performance by ASAP Rocky as a rapper named Yung Felon.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Continuing a recent pattern of face-to-furniture collisions on the talk show, the 69-year-old's head made a momentous journey plummeting toward the program's storied table at the top of Tuesday's live broadcast, after panelist Joy Behar made a shocking joke about Sean Combs.—
Joey Nolfi Published,
EW.com,
3 June 2025
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The toll represented a shocking increase from the 20 deaths recorded in 2019.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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May has been equally terrifying for Ukrainian civilians.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
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As the mysterious contract killer Vincent, Cruise brings his usual on-screen qualities — strict professionalism, precise physicality, ruthless persistence — but turns them on their head to embody a terrifying, amoral murderer.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Sinha’s strategic interventions have substantially scaled up businesses, powering a formidable sales pipeline by assisting the company in landing enterprise-level engagements.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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Everything points to the fact that Karolína’s exceptional talent has caught the attention of the formidable and much admired choirmaster.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The ensuing action is gory and frightening — and even Wong got a little spooked by Hawkins.—
Eric Andersson,
People.com,
31 May 2025
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This is incredibly damaging to career prospects and, given how little knowledge exists in mainstream medical and occupational health circles, can feel confusing and frightening for those who don’t know where to turn for advice.—
Nancy Doyle,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Kids these days have attention spans crushed under the terrible weight of TikTok and Instgram.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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My heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy, and the Great People of Boulder, Colorado!—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gut-wrenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gut-wrenching. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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