HEARTBREAKING Synonyms: 103 Similar and Opposite Words

heartbreaking

adjective

ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ

Definition of heartbreaking

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

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

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 Stewart’s heartbreaking death comes at a difficult time for Jackman. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 30 Oct. 2026 Watching Luther heal without closure in the case has been heartbreaking, Kristy Luther said. — Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026 Sarah Polley brought Miriam Toews’s heartbreaking novel to the big screen with great care and without compromising its complexity. — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 The final and most heartbreaking lesson then is this—that there is utopia, just not for us. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking

Adjective

Sheriff’s officials sad Damico, who had personal ties with Canata, claimed to be his power of attorney but was unable to provide any correlating paperwork or a will to verify such statements.

— Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Nov. 2026
The musical comedy has earned Moore raves on the festival circuit for her role as a sad suburban homemaker turned anxious aspiring actress in a New Jersey community theater.

— Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of sad

Adjective

The tragic killing sparked local protests and urgent calls from community members to end youth violence and bullying.

— Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
Faced with a hole in her life in the shape of her lifelong best friend after a tragic accident, Minnie forms a tight bond with the girl’s British stay-at-home mother, Helen (Sophie Okonedo, luminescent here), mourning on her own.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 9 Nov. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

In fact, the only previous cinematic encounter was the unfortunate 2003 live-action version with Mike Myers that flopped critically and at the box office, winning a pathetic 10 Razzie nominations as one of the worst pictures of that year.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026
Simply pathetic, but, MY LIONS stay close in the NFC North race and sets up what should be one of the biggest Thanksgiving Day games in Lions history when the Bears come to town on November 26.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of pathetic

Adjective

Before that, the Broncos were a major beneficiary of an unfortunate series of events in the third quarter.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
As the state no longer holds a monopoly on the tools—nor the data—used to keep us safe, an opaque gap between the private and public sectors has opened where unfortunate, and even tragic, events can transpire.

— David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Yet Scudder, a progressive thirty-six-year-old real-estate analyst raised by lesbians on a purple-hull-pea farm in East Texas, assumed the post in 2025, and has been in a rush to reverse his party’s pitiful showings.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of pitiful

Adjective

Nearby residents have argued that the large apartment complex will be a poor fit for their neighborhood, citing concerns about traffic congestion and fire department access, among other things.

— Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
The Lions’ high-flying offense is at its best on turf, not nearly as fast on grass, and their poor red zone defense has been an issue.

— Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

Mazel tov to Wallace, but for my money, the biggest moment on this miserable, rainy family holiday is the revelation that Nanny Marie has been with the Webbs since the beginning.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Once flights became frequent, the noise made people miserable.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of miserable

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“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of heartbreaking

adjective

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