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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartbreaking
For The Times) USC’s College World Series drought continues after a heartbreaking 4-3 walk-off loss to North Carolina in Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional.
—
Alan Cole, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Venezuela’s Gleiker Mendoza struck first at the 13-minute mark, giving fans of La Vinotinto reason to cheer after a heartbreaking exit from the South American World Cup qualifying campaign.
—Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
One of the most heartbreaking parts, from her daughter's perspective, is that none of those changes were necessary in the first place.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Alan Cole, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Venezuela’s Gleiker Mendoza struck first at the 13-minute mark, giving fans of La Vinotinto reason to cheer after a heartbreaking exit from the South American World Cup qualifying campaign.
—Miami Herald, 7 June 2026
One of the most heartbreaking parts, from her daughter's perspective, is that none of those changes were necessary in the first place.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
Adjective
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The other six ascended to the highest office in the land as a result of the dysfunction that has made Peru a punch line in political-science circles, a sad story of ungovernability played on a loop.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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There’s a one-note quality to the film’s comedy that grows steadily, even deliberately, more abrasive over two hours, but the sad, brash, gradually shrinking bigness of the personalities at its center holds your attention.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Emergency responders say the toddler's death is a tragic reminder of how dangerous the water is, especially at this time of year when peak water flows are being recorded.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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During closing arguments on Monday, an attorney for the family of the two boys called on the jury to assess hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, rejecting the defense contention that what occurred was a tragic accident.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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By then, Thomsen says, the public perception had shifted from regarding it as tough and controversial to seeing it as desperate and pathetic.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
-
The plan involved discovering a long lost princess, hopping on a plane to London, breaking into a museum store room, and enlisting the help of a very pathetic historian.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Almost a year out to sea is very depressing.—
Steve Walsh,
NPR,
23 May 2026
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Some sendoffs are mundane; others are downright depressing.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Adjective
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There’s no question that this unfortunate cocktail of corruption, inefficiency, and simple incompetence is holding the country back.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
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Unfortunately, going cold turkey off a central nervous system depressant like GHB has some pretty unfortunate side-effects.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has made a pitiful shambles of what should have been a glorious moment.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
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With his country flailing in their pitiful attempts to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, at the age of 33, Zidane underwent his change of heart.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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The second didn’t go nearly as well for Bussi as Karlsson and Howden scored on two of the Golden Knights’ six shots in the period to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the third, the tying goal coming off a Seth Jarvis turnover and a couple of poor defensive plays by Sean Walker and K’Andre Miller.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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Heat radiates from the pages of this extraordinary novel about a poor family in rural Mississippi in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
The sea was rough, windy, and miserable.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
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The Angels thumped the Colorado Rockies 11-4, but one good night cannot change the trajectory of a miserable season.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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