gut-wrenching

[ guht-ren-ching ]

adjective

1. involving great distress or anguish; agonizing:

   a gut-wrenching decision.

gut-wrenching

adjective

1. informal.
   causing great distress or suffering

   gut-wrenching scenes

Example Sentences

“They don’t have powers, they make all their own costumes, and it’s fabulous and can be campy and can be humorous but then is also gut-wrenching.”

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a massive ending, as gut-wrenching as it is hopeful.

From Salon

And despite a valiant effort at the final hole, McIlroy was unable to elude another gut-wrenching miss on a big stage.

From BBC

Orange Lutheran finished 20-9 last season and won the league title, but the game Cook remembers most was the very last, a gut-wrenching, 28-27 overtime defeat to Esperanza in the finals of the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

Hackney told Salon patients who are pursuing pediatric palliative care do so in “complicated and gut-wrenching circumstances.”

From Salon

Related Words

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