rending

/ˈrɛndɪŋ/
noun
  1. The act or sound of something being torn or split violently.
    • The rending of the metal was so loud that everyone covered their ears.
    • They heard the rending of wood as the old barn collapsed.
    • The rending of the paper was surprisingly sharp and clean.
adjective
  1. Causing great emotional pain or distress; heartbreaking.
    • The documentary offered a rending look at the lives of refugees.
    • She let out a rending cry when she heard the tragic news.
    • The movie's final scene was so rending that many audience members were in tears.
  2. Tearing or splitting something apart with force.
    • The rending sound of the old tree splitting in the storm woke the whole neighborhood.
    • He could hear the rending of fabric as the bear clawed through the tent.
    • The earthquake caused a rending of the earth's surface along the fault line.
What does "rending" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean