1
as in sad
causing unhappiness
a heartbreaking story of a family torn asunder by war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartbreaking
Another heartbreaking video shared how a cat, named Carlo, mourned the loss of the family dog who had passed away.
—
Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Less than one week later, her mother, Terri Moody, spoke to Arizona’s Family about her heartbreaking death.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 30 July 2025
The Young Money president paid tribute to his late son with a heartbreaking post to Instagram on Monday (July 28).
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 July 2025
Doctors and aid workers inside Gaza are reporting grim and heartbreaking details of widespread malnutrition, particularly in children, as the hunger crisis reportedly continues to worsen amid the Israel-Hamas war.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Less than one week later, her mother, Terri Moody, spoke to Arizona’s Family about her heartbreaking death.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 30 July 2025
The Young Money president paid tribute to his late son with a heartbreaking post to Instagram on Monday (July 28).
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 July 2025
Doctors and aid workers inside Gaza are reporting grim and heartbreaking details of widespread malnutrition, particularly in children, as the hunger crisis reportedly continues to worsen amid the Israel-Hamas war.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
Adjective
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Charlotte Lawrence loves a good, gut-wrenching, sad song.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
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Unfortunately, between the time of the taping and the show release, sad news came to Mike Kimmel’s team.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Actor River Phoenix’s story has long haunted Hollywood: A rising star with rare talent and a tragic ending that came far too soon.—
William Earl,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
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Roger Goodell speaks on NFL tragedy The NFL was faced with a tragic situation earlier this week when a gunman opened fire in New York at the NFL headquarters.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Cowardly, unaccountable, pathetic: How much more does anyone really need to know about the incompetence of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System than something that was reported a week ago?—
Chris Powell,
Hartford Courant,
4 Aug. 2025
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Even by his standards, Trump’s effort to find a scapegoat was pretty pathetic.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The fact that the jokes about Joao Felix come so easily is a little depressing.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
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Ari Aster’s first feature kicked off with the accidental decapitation of a child, and each subsequent film has only gotten more depressing from there.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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The fishermen were forced to abandon the Titan after a series of unfortunate events hit the ship.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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After the unfortunate withdrawal of U.S. Classic bars champion Myli Lew in podium training, the women’s bars title is even more up for grabs.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This negative sentiment was also felt on both sides of the Atlantic, given their pitiful plummet in popularity.—
Brie Stimson , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
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For their part, France produced a pitiful display of football, which deserved nothing less than elimination.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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In the dining room of The Brother Benno Center, a refuge for the area’s poor and homeless, more than 100 people gathered recently to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Rev. Charles Wright, who has been a spiritual guide there for four decades.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
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However, the quality of the product is sometimes, notably, poorer.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Daphne, miserable at boarding school; Bea, unhappy at home.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
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For years, parents faced a choice between exposing their kids to unknown dangers on social-media platforms or fighting a constant battle that would leave their kids isolated and miserable.—
Charlotte Alter,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
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