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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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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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 Mass Street exited with a heartbreaking 84-81 loss to Team Colorado. — Latif Love july 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 The decision for the Williams family to sell the eponymous team, founded by Claire’s father, Frank Williams, in 1977, was a heartbreaking and difficult one. — Luke Smith, New York Times, 30 June 2026 After years spent documenting these events and trying to bring the story to light, Bolerjack is ready to share this shocking and deeply heartbreaking story with the world. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 June 2026 But the South African fans there were ready to get loud despite suffering a heartbreaking loss in the final minutes. — Fred Robledo, Oc Register, 28 June 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
  • Now, Star is reporting that Blake Lively is trying not to be bitter about not being invited, but the snub has left her very sad.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 8 July 2026
  • No living sister or Mother to administer relief in that hour the most sad in the history of humanity.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • But trade theft cases in Silicon Valley are usually pointless and tragic because information finds a way out of companies anyway.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2026
  • Thamman pointed to the tragic outcome for Freya the friendly walrus, who went viral online in 2022 for climbing onto small boats to sunbathe in the Oslo Fjord.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 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
  • For many women, painful periods are treated as an unfortunate but normal part of life.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Instead, the meddling radiated corruption over due process of an unfortunate but longstanding rule that has remedies seldom invoked in the middle of the World Cup.
    — Vahe Gregorian July 7, Kansas City Star, 7 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
  • Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Their findings, some previously covered in Fortune, draw on a deep dataset spanning dozens of countries to confirm that ill-being is no longer hump-shaped in age — the young are now the most miserable cohort globally.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • Aguirre’s red card against West Germany in 1986 started a miserable run for Mexico.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 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 11 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of heartbreaking for Spanish Speakers

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