" heartrending "

1: causing unhappiness;

  * e.g., " ... couldn't bear to see the heartrending photos of victims of the famine "

•  Synonyms : 

•  depressing,

•  dismal,

•  drear,

•  dreary,

•  heartbreaking,

•  melancholy,

•  mournful,

•  pathetic,

•  sad,

•  saddening,

•  sorry,

•  tearful,

•  teary

•  Antonyms : 

•  cheering,

•  cheery,

•  glad,

•  happy

2: hard to accept or bear especially emotionally;

  * e.g., " ... a heartrending choice between saving his daughter or his son "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflicting,

•  agonizing,

•  bitter,

•  cruel,

•  excruciating,

•  galling,

•  grievous,

•  harrowing,

•  harsh,

•  hurtful,

•  painful,

•  tormenting,

•  torturous

•  Antonyms : 

•  gratifying,

•  pleasing,

•  sweet

3: of a kind to cause great distress;

  * e.g., " ... heartrending memories of all the terrible crimes he'd committed and was sorry for now "

•  Synonyms : 

•  deplorable,

•  distressful,

•  distressing,

•  grievous,

•  heartbreaking,

•  lamentable,

•  regrettable,

•  tragic,

•  unfortunate,

•  unlucky,

•  woeful

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)