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
By Kathleen Walsh Following the news of her passing, Michelle Trachtenberg’s former costars and colleagues shared heartbreaking tributes to the actor.
—
Glamour, 26 Feb. 2025
Mills fell to Notre Dame in heartbreaking fashion last season in the Division III final.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025
In a separate post, Mendoza also recalled his recent interactions with Archangel-Ortiz, who received heartbreaking news at the hospital just days before the shooting.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2025
There is something heartbreaking in Toby’s precious title being such a cliché—a fantasy inherited from a colonizer state, a dream of the limitations of its own reach and harm.
—Audrey Wollen, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Glamour, 26 Feb. 2025
Mills fell to Notre Dame in heartbreaking fashion last season in the Division III final.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025
In a separate post, Mendoza also recalled his recent interactions with Archangel-Ortiz, who received heartbreaking news at the hospital just days before the shooting.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2025
There is something heartbreaking in Toby’s precious title being such a cliché—a fantasy inherited from a colonizer state, a dream of the limitations of its own reach and harm.
—Audrey Wollen, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartbreaking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreaking
Adjective
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Especially sad is the case of Netta, one of Liat’s three children, who survived the attack.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Feb. 2025
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The range of weapons and passive abilities that drop from major enemies just encourage different playstyles, rather than shoving you into a sad corner full of regrets.—
Josh Broadwell,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And then everything changed due to the pandemic and the great Helen McCrory’s tragic passing.—
Brian Davids,
The Hollywood Reporter,
26 Feb. 2025
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The documentary explores tragic teenage murders that gained global attention, including the deaths of British footballer Charlie Cosser and American cheerleader Tristyn Bailey.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In a bravura theatrical performance, Hawke makes the genius truly pathetic.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2025
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Blonsky imbues the lead character of Tracy Turnblad, who could be a pathetic figure in lesser hands, with enough vitality to make the whole film feel fresh, even close to two decades after its release.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Whether the Nationals pitching staff can hold up, healthy and effective in an incredibly difficult division, is another pressing question — with a depressing answer: probably not — but at least the bats will be worth watching.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
The Athletic,
12 Feb. 2025
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Listen to this article Super Bowl parties are on the rise this year thanks to the need to decompress from a most depressing start to 2025, along with the rising cost of packages at bars and restaurants.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But over the last few weeks, bagel eaters around the city have been confronted with some unfortunate news: Signs are plastered across shop counters stating a $1.25 additional surcharge for any bagel sandwiches featuring eggs.—
Zoya Hasan,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
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There is an unfortunate flipside, though: Bond Could Receive Questionable Franchise Extensions That’s been the fear since Amazon acquired MGM in 2020.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Kubrick’s film is a hell of a black comedy that satirizes the mediocrity of middle-class life: In the director’s world, fathers are pitiful providers, mothers are blandly cheerful (while quietly suffering enormously), and the kids see far more than their parents do.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
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The result was a pitiful offensive performance by Kansas City and one of the worst games of Mahomes’ career.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC News,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And another research team, using data from 2015 to 2022, observed in an article available in Energy Research and Social Science that poor income distribution correlates with social unrest when fossil fuel subsidies are removed.—
Aldo Flores-Quiroga,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Federal workers got commendations, awards, positive reviews – and then were fired for 'poor performance' Taxes are coming.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA TODAY,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There’s no sugarcoating it: Being sick can be miserable.—
Amy Panos,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Feb. 2025
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The way McAvoy used his great stick and heavy body to make life miserable for Canadians, including his Bruins teammate, Brad Marchand.—
Michael Russo,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreaking. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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