heartbreaking
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heartbreaking
First recorded in 1600–10; heartbreak + -ing 2
Explanation
Something that's deeply sad or distressing is heartbreaking, like the heartbreaking death of your beloved cat. Heartbreaking is the perfect word to describe a devastating feeling. When you lose someone you love, it feels like your heart is broken. Use this adjective for anything that causes you grief or sorrow, like the heartbreaking loss of an old tree in your yard or a glimpse of your crush holding hands with someone else. Other distressing events can feel heartbreaking too — even the loss of your favorite team in the playoffs: "What a heartbreaking defeat!"
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It was much more heartbreaking because I was getting back into everything," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Singer and actor Ray Quinn has spoken of the "heartbreaking" loss of his baby son, Rio, who was stillborn.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
But it ends up with an outcome that feels as sadly inevitable as it is heartbreaking — an ethical knot that cannot be undone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
If Mariam is the film’s heartbreaking figure, Abbass brings complexity to the character, never letting her be a saintly victim.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
She concluded by telling Judge Willmore: “Please send a message to people everywhere that texting and driving are dangerous and the effects can be both heartbreaking and devastating.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
