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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartbreaking
The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs shared the heartbreaking details of the dog’s ordeal in a July 17 Facebook post that rescuers wrote from his perspective.
—
Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025
Alanna and her husband, Keith, received heartbreaking news of their 9-year-old St. Bernard passing away while on vacation in February.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
But like the waves at Cousins Beach, this third and final season reveals heartbreaking secrets, setting up one final brotherly tug-of-war over Belly's heart.
—Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 18 July 2025
The result of their relentless hard work were investigations that led to the arrest of one high-profile zoologist in Australia, a truck driver in the States, and others who deserve to be punished for their heartbreaking and horrifying crimes.
—Melissa Locker, Time, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Sacbee.com, 20 July 2025
Alanna and her husband, Keith, received heartbreaking news of their 9-year-old St. Bernard passing away while on vacation in February.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
But like the waves at Cousins Beach, this third and final season reveals heartbreaking secrets, setting up one final brotherly tug-of-war over Belly's heart.
—Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 18 July 2025
The result of their relentless hard work were investigations that led to the arrest of one high-profile zoologist in Australia, a truck driver in the States, and others who deserve to be punished for their heartbreaking and horrifying crimes.
—Melissa Locker, Time, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
Adjective
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The sad reality is that Lucky really hasn't had all that much luck in his life to date.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
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That sparked further investigation into the sad situation of socializing.—
Jeanette Hurt,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Actor River Phoenix’s story has long haunted Hollywood: A rising star with rare talent and a tragic ending that came far too soon.—
William Earl,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
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This disparity persists because of the tragic nature of these diseases.—
Shahriar Minokadeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Phoenix assumes a pathetic and quietly arrogant demeanor as Joe, who speaks in a squeaky, exasperated cadence.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
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Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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For women, the situation is even more depressing with 90% of women excluded from the workforce, unable to work outside their homes.—
Natasha Lindstaedt,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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And blame can be depressing; accepting responsibility for something that went terribly wrong is often painful and embarrassing.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead, like so many unfortunate accidents since cell phones were invented, this was caused by a distracted driver.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
14 July 2025
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Fortunately for him, that gaffe will be a little easier to live down than Teal and Weinberg’s unfortunate comments.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Once Bernstein landed on broadcast television, in the mid-fifties, such guides looked pitiful.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
20 July 2025
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The real version of Dave is equal parts pitiful and menacing, seductive and unable to fully pass himself as a normal person.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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Of course, poor Michael Landon had passed away way too young.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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For now, this is DeVries on the job: intent but measured, teeth ready to clamp down on his tongue, establishing standards while also very much trying to make sure his team isn’t miserable from the beginning.—
Brian Hamilton,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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His Panthers opened the season with two miserable losses, complete with booing from fans in the home opener, and the 23-year-old soon became the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the Super Bowl era to be benched for non-injury reasons.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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