1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine
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2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son
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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
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4
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity
the heartrending sight of a starving child holding out his hands for food
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Recent Examples of heartrending
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.
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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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartrending
Adjective
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Maybe not the question to ask a Canadian, but could sad smoke breaks bring America together today?Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
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So there’s perhaps no greater sin than to serve a casserole with a sad, soggy topping.Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This lightweight trail runner is designed to slide on like a sock, eliminating painful pressure points and decreasing the possibility of blisters.Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024
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These punishments are especially painful since North Korea’s economy has been severely strained by international sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic mismanagement.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The mother of a North Carolina woman who was fatally attacked while vacationing in Mexico is pursuing legal action two years after the tragic incident.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
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Nearly $195,000 was raised through a GoFundMe campaign started for Kaur’s family following her tragic death.Abigail Adams, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The upcoming sequel to This Is Spinal Tap will be turning the pathetic knobs all the way to 11.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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After a downright pathetic few weeks, the Russians regrouped—or at least got regrouped enough.Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Loading your audio article The national election news was downright depressing for many in the Bay Area, but there was a lot of cause for celebration among local candidates Tuesday night.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Dreadful game of the week: Cleveland Browns at Philadelphia Eagles — The Browns are just depressing, saddled with the debacle that is the acquisition of quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose numbers are just dreadful.Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Trump has promised to enact a new fiscal and economic regime, including harsh tariffs that some economists fear could have inflationary effects.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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For centuries, herders looking for summer pastures were the main presence in this harsh and inhospitable region some 14,000 feet (4,200 meters) above sea level in the eastern Himalayas.Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In recent years, however, Sedona’s storyline has taken an unfortunate (though not unwarranted) hit.Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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Martin's fall came after the band had to take to social media to address an unfortunate first for the band, informing fans that bassist Guy Berryman was too ill to join them onstage for the Melbourne gig.David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Trump, for one thing, had a favorable set of issues behind him and the Republican Party: Biden had seen poor favorability and approval ratings throughout his term in office, despite scoring several legislative wins, including a bipartisan infrastructure deal that had previously eluded Trump.Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
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Russia has sent two prototypes of its latest fighter jet in service, the stealth Su-57, to China for an airshow, where they were reportedly mocked for their poor workmanship and conditions.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near heartrending
Cite this Entry
“Heartrending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartrending. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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