Standard Lemma guide

heartbreaking

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: HH AA1 R T B R EY2 K IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

That causes great grief, anguish or distress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: heartrending, heartwrenching

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: heartrending, heartwrenching

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The breaking of a heart; great grief, anguish or distress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

causing or marked by grief or anguish

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a grievous loss
  • a grievous cry
  • her sigh was heartbreaking
  • the heartrending words of Rabin's granddaughter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grievous, heartrending

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From heart + breaking.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сърцераздирателен (sǎrcerazdiratelen) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • French: déchirant — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • French: navrant — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • German: herzzerreißend — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Ancient Greek: θυμαλγής (thumalgḗs) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Irish: coscrach — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Malayalam: ഹൃദയഭേദകമായ (hr̥dayabhēdakamāya) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Māori: tarariki — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Polish: rozdzierający serce — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Polish: łamiący serce — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Portuguese: de partir o coração — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Russian: душераздира́ющий (dušerazdirájuščij) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Serbo-Croatian: srceparajući — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Serbo-Croatian: srcerazdirući — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Slovak: srdcervúci — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Spanish: desgarrador — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Spanish: desolador — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Spanish: devastador — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Ukrainian: розпа́чливий (rozpáčlyvyj) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Ukrainian: нестя́мний (nestjámnyj) — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
  • Vietnamese: đau lòng — That causes great grief, anguish or distress
Real reading context

heartbreaking in complete knowledge articles