heartbreaking
adjective
heart·break·ing
ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ 
1
: causing intense sorrow or distress
heartbreaking news
a heartbreaking defeat
2
: producing an intense emotional reaction or response
heartbreaking beauty
Synonyms
Examples of heartbreaking in a Sentence
She wrote a heartbreaking story about the death of her grandfather.
It was heartbreaking to know that there was nothing I could do.
The team suffered another heartbreaking defeat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Her heartbreaking murder is the focus of the season premiere of People Magazine Investigates on Monday, Oct. 28.
—
Kc Baker, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
Liam Payne’s story, while heartbreaking, serves as a stark reminder of the immense toll that fame can exact on the youngest among us.
—Will Ripley, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024
Extended droughts have negatively affected agricultural productivity and decimated livestock, forcing families to make heartbreaking decisions, like pulling children out of school or marrying daughters off to help make ends meet.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The night that Clinton lost her own bid for the White House in 2016 was one of the most heartbreaking that Walz can remember.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heartbreaking 
Kc Baker, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
Liam Payne’s story, while heartbreaking, serves as a stark reminder of the immense toll that fame can exact on the youngest among us.
—Will Ripley, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024
Extended droughts have negatively affected agricultural productivity and decimated livestock, forcing families to make heartbreaking decisions, like pulling children out of school or marrying daughters off to help make ends meet.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
The night that Clinton lost her own bid for the White House in 2016 was one of the most heartbreaking that Walz can remember.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heartbreaking
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartbreaking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near heartbreaking
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartbreaking. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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