heartrending
adjective
heart·rend·ing ˈhärt-ˌren-diŋ 
: heartbreaking sense 1
heartrendingly
ˈhärt-ˌren-diŋ-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- depressing
- dismal
- drear
- dreary
- heartbreaking
- melancholy
- mournful
- pathetic
- sad
- saddening
- sorry
- tearful
- teary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 See More
Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2021 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 See More Word History
First Known Use
1621, in the meaning defined above
heartrending
adjective
1
as in depressing
causing unhappiness couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- depressing
- sad
- heartbreaking
- pathetic
- mournful
- tearful
- melancholy
- unfortunate
- saddening
- disturbing
- teary
- dismal
- dreary
- drear
- distressful
- poignant
- distressing
- sorry
- touching
- moving
- lamentable
- discomforting
- disquieting
- affecting
- disheartening
- grievous
- deplorable
- dispiriting
- perturbing
- woeful
- discouraging
- discomposing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- happy
- glad
- inspiring
- cheery
- heartening
- uplifting
- stirring
- stimulating
- pleasant
- delightful
- heartwarming
- satisfying
- pleasing
- agreeable
- cheering
- enjoyable
- pleasurable
- thrilling
- welcome
- exhilarating
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son Synonyms & Similar Words
- painful
- harsh
- cruel
- harrowing
- agonizing
- torturous
- excruciating
- terrible
- horrible
- bitter
- hurtful
- grievous
- severe
- awful
- unacceptable
- galling
- unbearable
- tormenting
- afflicting
- dreadful
- intense
- intolerable
- dire
- appalling
- bad
- vile
- ghastly
- miserable
- acute
- extreme
- insupportable
- unendurable
- wretched
- insufferable
- unsupportable
- piercing
- nasty
- rotten
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sweet
- gratifying
- pleasing
- bearable
- tolerable
- endurable
- sustainable
- survivable
- acceptable
- reasonable
- supportable
- livable
- allowable
- liveable
- sufferable
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- tragic
- unfortunate
- tragical
- heartbreaking
- distressing
- terrible
- distressful
- shocking
- painful
- horrible
- disturbing
- grievous
- regrettable
- lamentable
- deplorable
- unsettling
- woeful
- dire
- sad
- poignant
- sickening
- awful
- harrowing
- unlucky
- affecting
- piteous
- dreadful
- moving
- touching
- pitiful
- severe
- unbearable
- doleful
- disastrous
- alarming
- traumatic
- horrifying
- fearful
- miserable
- troublesome
- crushing
- overwhelming
- excruciating
- vexatious
- wretched
- perturbing
- intolerable
- calamitous
- raging
- ruthful
- sharp
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rewarding
- satisfying
- gratifying
- pleasing
- heartening
- comforting
- encouraging
- inspiring
- heartwarming
- fortunate
- happy
- lucky
- cheering
4
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity the heartrending sight of a starving child holding out his hands for food Synonyms & Similar Words
- pathetic
- poor
- pitiful
- wretched
- heartbreaking
- miserable
- sorry
- piteous
- sad
- disturbing
- pitiable
- emotional
- horrible
- poignant
- terrible
- rueful
- inspiring
- mournful
- impressive
- moving
- touching
- affecting
- distressing
- regrettable
- awful
- deplorable
- stirring
- sorrowful
- upsetting
- lamentable
- grievous
- woeful
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unimpressive
- uninspiring