adjective

• Causing overwhelming distress; very upsetting.

  ‘it would be heartbreaking to see it all collapse’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It's tragic and heartbreaking, but it should not be considered a point of debate.’
  • ‘Speaking as a father of a young son and a daughter, I find this heartbreaking and tragic.’
  • ‘It was so heartbreaking to see lots of people traumatised by the war and living in bombed out buildings.’
  • ‘Losing her at Christmas is bad, but the presents were heartbreaking.’
  • ‘John, faced with a heartbreaking decision no five-year-old should ever have to make, chose his father.’
  • ‘This sequence is especially heartbreaking, as the screaming little girl is carried away to die.’
  • ‘David is here to talk about living with a heartbreaking loss, and he will take your calls.’
  • ‘Some stories told to her by families are heartbreaking and it is hard not to become emotionally involved.’
  • ‘Instead they brought heartbreaking news of the death of a son, a father, a brother or some other loved one.’
  • ‘As I read, the writer elaborated on the material with heartbreaking tales of his family life.’
  • ‘It was amazingly difficult and heartbreaking but he never gave up.’
  • ‘I've seen it happen more than once to some very dear, sweet people, and it's really heartbreaking to watch.’
  • ‘Is it heartbreaking to have an entire prison population reject your lasagna?’
  • ‘It's heartbreaking to see people dying of such curable and treatable diseases.’
  • ‘It is very heartbreaking to now know my mum would probably be alive if the police had done a proper investigation first time around.’
  • ‘Realising that within the framework of a tender and heartbreaking love affair, is a very special achievement.’
  • ‘That chapel remains one of the most heartbreaking sights in England.’
  • ‘They encouraged him to think he could return home as a star; by the time he left, his yearning was heartbreaking.’
  • ‘It has been absolutely heartbreaking to have it cancelled each time.’
  • ‘The couple then had to break the heartbreaking news to Sarah's brother, who was travelling in Australia.’

  Synonyms

  distressing, upsetting, disturbing, heart-rending, sad, tragic, painful, saddening, traumatic, agonizing, desolating, harrowing, excruciating

  View synonyms