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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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 Despite heartbreaking moments, like MJ not remembering him, the movie is praised for its emotional depth, action, and Tom Holland's irreplaceable portrayal, culminating in a bittersweet ending where a handshake offers a glimmer of hope. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 After four seasons of dramatic adventures and heartbreaking losses, breakout stars Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss and Drew Starkey are returning to their beloved North Carolina characters one more time. — Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 Moving a tree is difficult, and cutting one down is heartbreaking. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 Thank you for your generosity, compassion, and support during this heartbreaking time. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 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
  • Said sad attraction is not exactly comparable to Buckingham Fountain.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Their deaths were a sad reminder of the danger that pneumococcal pneumonia poses to older adults.
    — Mark Marino, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • The final batch continues to focus on the generations of the Buendía family living amid political infighting in Macondo while building up to the magical-realist masterpiece’s tragic end.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • My Life With the Walter Boys stars Nikki Rodriguez as Jackie Howard, a teenager formerly living in New York City who moves to a small town in Colorado after a tragic accident changes her life forever.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • North Texas Howard WKU Northwestern Rutgers Nebraska That's a pathetic first six weeks.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
  • Despite the Warriors operating with a pathetic sense of self-mortification — bending over backward for the mere possibility the King might grace them with his presence — the power of friendship wasn’t enough to lure James to the Bay.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
Definition of pathetic
Adjective
  • The simple, rather depressing, and completely overwhelming fact of the matter is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe cannot be ignored, even as superhero fatigue has definitively set in at the global box office.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • The glow through the translucent stone façade prevents that journey from being downright depressing.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Definition of depressing
Adjective
  • That is unfortunate for wagon loyalists, but the V60 gets to leave without an awkward farewell edition or cosmetic gimmicks.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This is especially unfortunate since there’s currently more content mastered in Dolby Vision HDR than in HDR10+, the competing high dynamic range standard.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 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
  • Covid-19 wasn’t immediately recognized as a disease with airborne transmission with the potential to spread beyond the 6-foot social distancing measure, especially in places with poor ventilation or around activities with heavy breathing.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Crepe myrtles may not bloom due to poor pruning, low light, watering issues, weak soil, or pests.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Rebounding from a miserable 2025 Hiring had rebounded this year from a lackluster 2025 in the face of the conflict in the Persian Gulf that has sent energy prices surging and put a strain on family budgets.
    — Josh Boak, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Some are hopeful that the implementation of the plan would alleviate their daily miserable existence and improve conditions.
    — Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of miserable

Browse Nearby Words

heartbreak
heartbreaking
heartbroken
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on heartbreaking

Nglish: Translation of heartbreaking for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All