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
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
Eric Dane is sharing a heartbreaking moment amid his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
—
Hannah Sacks, People.com, 16 June 2025
The scenes of burning cars and tear gas on the streets of Los Angeles were heartbreaking.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2025
Rory McIlroy McIlroy decided not to play at the Travelers after his heartbreaking runner-up finish at the U.S. Open last year.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
As the series shifts to Edmonton for a pivotal Game 5, Maurice pointed to his team’s ability to recover from a heartbreaking overtime loss in the series opener.
—Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
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Hannah Sacks, People.com, 16 June 2025
The scenes of burning cars and tear gas on the streets of Los Angeles were heartbreaking.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2025
Rory McIlroy McIlroy decided not to play at the Travelers after his heartbreaking runner-up finish at the U.S. Open last year.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
As the series shifts to Edmonton for a pivotal Game 5, Maurice pointed to his team’s ability to recover from a heartbreaking overtime loss in the series opener.
—Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartbreaking. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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