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 veteran was exceptional, even heartbreaking, as a clueless dad and aging filmmaker seeking to hire his estranged daughter for the role of his, and maybe hers, lifetime. —Randy Myers, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026

Jessie Buckley, a runaway choice for best actress, helps put an audience through the wringer with her heartbreaking portrayal as Shakespeare's wife dealing with the tragic death of their son. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026

Often, the most heartbreaking testimonies come from the models themselves, who share accounts of humiliation and trauma that took place in front of millions watching and left them unable to work in the industry after due to the show’s stigma. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2026

Seeing pictures of the damage to Kakh Golestan from the recent bombings is heartbreaking. —Talla Mountjoy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 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