heartrending adj : causing or marked by grief or anguish; "a grievous loss"; "a grievous cry"; "her sigh was heartbreaking"; "the heartrending words of Rabin's granddaughter" [syn: grievous, heartbreaking]

English

Alternative spellings

• heart-rending

Adjective

1. That causes great grief, anguish or distress
2. That elicites deep sympathy

affecting, afflictive, agonizing, calamitous, consuming, desolating, dire, distressing, doleful, excruciating, grievous, harrowing, heartbreaking, heartsickening, heartwounding, lamentable, moving, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, racking, regrettable, rending, tormenting, torturous, touching, unfortunate