: very sad a heart-wrenching story.

How do you use the word heart wrenching?

It was hard work, it was hot work, it was heart wrenching yet extremely rewarding. It was absolutely heart wrenching , because there is little you can do for them once they catch this deadly disease. She stopped him, heart wrenching .

Is heart wrenching correct?

“Heart-wrenching” is a term that shouldn't be. The correct term is “heart-rending.” Rending means tearing, so when something makes you feel deeply saddened, it's heart-rending. Wrenching means twisting which, linguists have decided, is something that can be done metaphorically to your gut but not your heart.