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

heartbreakingly

ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ-lē 

adverb

a heartbreakingly tragic movie

Synonyms of heartbreaking

• sad
• depressing
• pathetic

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

The actor's family shared the news of his passing last month in a heartbreaking statement. —Emma Banks, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026

Curtis called the case heartbreaking. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2026

February 3 Chloe Zhao, 126 minutes Chloe Zhao’s eight-time Oscar nominee is a frontrunner for Best Actress for Jessie Buckley’s heartbreaking work as Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal). —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2026

Brown said this has been beautiful but heartbreaking to see the community come together in times of need. —Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heartbreaking

• awaking
• backbreaking
• bookmaking
• breathtaking
• brickmaking
• caretaking
• dressmaking
• filmmaking
• forsaking
• glassmaking
• groundbreaking
• haymaking