heartbreaking

adjective

heart·​break·​ing ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ How to pronounce heartbreaking (audio)
Synonyms of heartbreakingnext
1
: causing intense sorrow or distress
heartbreaking news
a heartbreaking defeat
2
: producing an intense emotional reaction or response
heartbreaking beauty
heartbreakingly
ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ-lē How to pronounce heartbreaking (audio)
adverb
a heartbreakingly tragic movie

Synonyms of heartbreaking

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Examples of heartbreaking in a Sentence

She wrote a heartbreaking story about the death of her grandfather. It was heartbreaking to know that there was nothing I could do. The team suffered another heartbreaking defeat.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026 And yet, the most heartbreaking loss was confirmed well after the game. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026 The San Francisco head coach’s time as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator was both glorious and heartbreaking. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026 No facial expression or vocal inflection can be read simply; the performance is at its most heartbreaking when at its most joyful. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartbreaking was in 1591

Rhymes for heartbreaking

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Browse Nearby Words

heartbreaker
heartbreaking
heartbroken
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Cite this Entry

“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartbreaking. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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