Entry Word: heartbreaking

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 causing unhappiness <a heartbreaking story of a family split up by war> — see sad 2
2 of a kind to cause great distress <the heartbreaking state of Main Street now that most of the businesses have closed> — see regrettable
3 deserving of one's pity <a heartbreaking attempt to escape that ends in disaster> — see pathetic 1