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
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 heartbreaking and ironic thing is that democracy has given rise, through the proper, right voting mechanism, to this kind of totalitarian regime.
—
Zack Sharf, Variety, 20 May 2026
These items were a heartbreaking reminder that these babies were just that — babies who had yet to take their first step or kick their first soccer ball.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
The fiancée of late Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke shared a heartbreaking post about the 29-year-old over the weekend after his death.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
But at the center of it all is Navarrette, whose fearless turn grounds the film’s shocking premise in something both heartbreaking and haunting.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
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Zack Sharf, Variety, 20 May 2026
These items were a heartbreaking reminder that these babies were just that — babies who had yet to take their first step or kick their first soccer ball.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
The fiancée of late Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke shared a heartbreaking post about the 29-year-old over the weekend after his death.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
But at the center of it all is Navarrette, whose fearless turn grounds the film’s shocking premise in something both heartbreaking and haunting.
—Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartbreaking. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
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