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

After years spent documenting these events and trying to bring the story to light, Bolerjack is ready to share this shocking and deeply heartbreaking story with the world. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 June 2026

Elsewhere, Iran’s soccer team has been eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, missing the 32-team knockout stages by one spot in heartbreaking fashion. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 June 2026

But Van Sant’s imaginative and deeply poignant retelling of Shakespeare’s Henry IV is a pleasure in its own right, its sweetness and gentle touches of surrealism coming together to form a heartbreaking ode to young love. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026

But the South African fans there were ready to get loud despite suffering a heartbreaking loss in the final minutes. — Fred Robledo, Oc Register, 28 June 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