heartbreaking

adjective

ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce heartbreaking (audio)
Definition of heartbreakingnext
1
as in sad
causing unhappiness a heartbreaking story of a family torn asunder by war

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress the heartbreaking state of Main Street now that most of the businesses have closed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in pathetic
deserving of one's pity a heartbreaking attempt to escape that ends in disaster

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of heartbreaking The movie, which loosely borrows from Pinocchio, tells the story of a family who adopts a robotic boy programmed for love, and that robot's heartbreaking quest to become a real boy. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 July 2026 One of the nation’s most famous aviators and great heroes has announced a heartbreaking diagnosis. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026 Their letters come to a heartbreaking climax when Parker writes about having breast cancer, from which Lorde also suffered. — Literary Hub, 13 July 2026 That objective vehicle data dismantled the suspect’s alibi, advanced the investigation, and played a pivotal role in securing a conviction in one of Central Florida’s most heartbreaking cases. — Charles "chuck" Broadway, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
  1. sad
  2. tragic
  3. pathetic
  4. depressing
  5. unfortunate
  6. pitiful
  7. poor
  8. miserable
Adjective
  • Nostalgic, proud and, yeah, a little sad too, that the decade-long journey of making Stranger Things has come to an end.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
  • In the comments, fans expressed conflicted feelings about the ride’s closure, with some excited for the new version and others sad to hear the original Kumba ride will soon be no more.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • The Gilroy Garlic festival is returning this month for a second year in a row following a six-year hiatus brought on by a tragic shooting.
    — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 17 July 2026
  • Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are partners in a snazzy teleportation bit who turn on each other after the tragic death of their assistant.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • Never in my lifetime has pathetic nostalgia for the white man’s republic been closer to the center of power.
    — Brian DeLay, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • Instagram Plus is social media’s newest low—a company preying on our most pathetic impulses, for the price of a small iced coffee.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • In addition to which, the Moon is lined up with stern Saturn, which can be depressing.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 July 2026
  • Laughter and jokes are banned, and writing is presented as arduous and faintly depressing.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • Healthcare has an unfortunate tendency to confuse organizational structure with progress.
    — Sachin H. Jain, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • This leads to another unfortunate confrontation with a Bowden parent, as Tom drags Cady into the street and beats him up in full view of lookie-loos with phone cameras.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers.
    — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.
    — Hector Vickers, New York Times, 21 June 2026
Definition of pitiful
Adjective
  • Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
    — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
  • On top of this, subterranean drip systems often clog with mineral deposits, sediment, and algae, which Nad warns may eventually require repairs or replacement of portions of the system, particularly in areas with hard water or poor filtration.
    — Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The story of Superman’s young cousin never achieved liftoff, brought down by miserable reviews and a lack of familiarity with Krypton’s far less famous refugee.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Spurs evolved from a side who did not press well and could not progress the ball through the middle of the pitch through Frank’s miserable period and Tudor’s hapless interlude, to a side who tried to do exactly those things.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of miserable

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Cite this Entry

“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of heartbreaking for Spanish Speakers

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