heartbreaking

adjective

heart·​break·​ing ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kiŋ 

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 

adverb

a heartbreakingly tragic movie

Synonyms of heartbreaking

• sad
• depressing
• pathetic

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

The state of Connecticut formally into their General Assembly entered the heartbreaking details of more than three dozen local deaths strongly linked to energy drinks. — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026

For the Cardinals, Sunday’s defeat came in heartbreaking fashion. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Amanda Shires makes poetic songs that are just these heartbreaking stories, done in a way that’s so classy, and like Leonard Cohen. — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026

Two heartbreaking losses put the brakes on the Huskies' hopes of entering the AP Top 25, but coach Jedd Fisch is getting decent efforts out of a roster with injury problems. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heartbreaking

• awaking
• backbreaking
• bookmaking
• breathtaking
• brickmaking
• caretaking
• dressmaking
• filmmaking
• forsaking
• glassmaking
• groundbreaking
• haymaking