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
Brody, who portrayed Yarris in a London stage production in 2024, said that the story is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
—
Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Police made multiple wellness checks at the Bronx apartment where two teenage boys were found in an extreme state of malnourishment, but found no evidence of abuse in the years leading up to the heartbreaking discovery, NYPD officials said Saturday.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Exploring an eager case of codependency, and later on, a heartbreaking instance of growing apart, a film like this requires utmost chemistry between the co-leads, an occasion Duggan and Clear rise to with ease.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
In one heartbreaking plot, a poor mother gives away her son, August, to the upper-class industrialists who employed her now deceased husband.
—Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Police made multiple wellness checks at the Bronx apartment where two teenage boys were found in an extreme state of malnourishment, but found no evidence of abuse in the years leading up to the heartbreaking discovery, NYPD officials said Saturday.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
Exploring an eager case of codependency, and later on, a heartbreaking instance of growing apart, a film like this requires utmost chemistry between the co-leads, an occasion Duggan and Clear rise to with ease.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
In one heartbreaking plot, a poor mother gives away her son, August, to the upper-class industrialists who employed her now deceased husband.
—Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
Adjective
-
The same sad and sinister menace occupying 1600 Penn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Of course, after a while the thrill of getting caught fades, and sneaking around becomes deeply sad rather than sexy.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Today, there are more than 80,000 amputees in Angola, a tragic legacy of 27 years of the Angolan Civil War, which ended in 2002.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
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The true story of the Von Erich wrestling family was so unrelentingly tragic that when The Iron Claw finally got made, director Sean Durkin opted to leave one brother out entirely.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
For Guardiola to focus on lambasting Hallam was pretty pathetic, all told.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Marche feared that ChatGPT-3 meant the end of freshman composition papers, but that’s a pathetic and moribund genre anyhow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Winter can be gloomy, dreary, and depressing.—
Kari Leibowitz,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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Suggesting that Hallam was trying to make a name for himself was a depressing line for Guardiola to attack.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In retrospect, the right move, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said, even with the unfortunate scheduling outcome.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
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But Bloom’s legacy has had the unfortunate effect of making even more reasonable canon defenses look reactionary.—
Colton Valentine,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Mercy came via a bye week, the pitiful Raiders and an inept Cowboys defense.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
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Writer-director Craig Brewer resists the temptation to make Mike and Claire in any way pitiful or worthy of derision.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Evening people were 79% more likely to have poor overall heart health compared with those in the intermediate group, the study found.—
Dr. Joseph Wendt,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
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Audits have identified poor planning, weak oversight, and insufficient monitoring of quality and cost.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
On a tour full of reasons to be miserable, England will leave Australia with at least one ray of light for the future.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The series centers around Timmy Turner, a miserable 10-year-old whose life improves significantly after he is given two fairy godparents named Wanda and Cosmo.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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