truly heartbreaking

USAGE SUMMARY

"truly heartbreaking" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation or feeling that is very sad. For example: It was truly heartbreaking to watch as my grandmother slowly lost her memory.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The stories can sometimes be truly heartbreaking.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The story of Target, the Afghan hero dog, is truly heartbreaking.

The New York Times

As with Maureen's uninvited guest, the world is truly lonesome and the desperation truly heartbreaking.

The New York Times - Books

It is truly heartbreaking to see so many people who want to contribute more to society but are left feeling their outlook is desperate and hopeless.

Independent

We are glimpsing briefly what is gone forever – what we ourselves have destroyed – and witnessing it with that knowledge is truly heartbreaking.

The Guardian - Film

Writing on Facebook, McGregor called Carvalho "a hell of a fighter", adding: "To see a young man doing what he loves, competing for a chance at a better life, and then to have it taken away is truly heartbreaking.

The Guardian - Sport

But what President Duterte said is not only profoundly inhumane, but it demonstrates an appalling disrespect for human life that is truly heartbreaking for the democratically elected leader of a great country".

The Guardian

"It is a truly heartbreaking situation that this opportunity has now been irrevocably lost".

BBC

"It's truly heartbreaking to see the damage done to this beautiful part of the country," New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez said after visiting the area.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

This experience was truly breathtaking, beautiful, and also heartbreaking.

Huffington Post

"It's a gracious, brutal, humbling, at times funny, but more often enraging, and ultimately heartbreaking testimony by a truly gifted writer.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "truly heartbreaking" to convey a sense of profound sadness, often when witnessing or learning about events that cause deep sorrow or distress. It's effective in expressing empathy and eliciting an emotional response from the audience.

Common error

Avoid using "truly heartbreaking" to describe minor inconveniences or disappointments. Reserve it for situations that genuinely evoke strong feelings of sorrow or loss to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "truly heartbreaking" functions primarily as an adverb-adjective combination used to describe something that evokes deep sorrow or distress. As Ludwig AI states, it is a correct and usable expression, conveying a strong emotional impact.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "truly heartbreaking" serves as a powerful descriptor for situations that evoke deep sorrow and distress. It combines the adverb "truly" to intensify the adjective "heartbreaking", thereby amplifying the emotional impact. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and appropriate for conveying empathy and highlighting the gravity of a subject matter. Found predominantly in News & Media, its usage extends to other contexts, albeit with varying frequency. When using "truly heartbreaking", reserve it for situations that genuinely warrant such a strong emotional expression to avoid diluting its effect. Related phrases like "genuinely devastating" or "deeply saddening" can be considered for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

genuinely devastating

Replaces "heartbreaking" with "devastating" to emphasize the destructive impact, while "genuinely" strengthens the feeling.

deeply saddening

Uses "saddening" instead of "heartbreaking" and "deeply" instead of "truly", altering the tone slightly towards sorrow.

exceptionally distressing

Substitutes "heartbreaking" with "distressing" and "truly" with "exceptionally" for a more formal and clinical feel.

utterly crushing

Employs "crushing" to convey an overwhelming sense of defeat or sorrow, intensifying the emotional impact.

absolutely tragic

Replaces "heartbreaking" with "tragic" and "truly" with "absolutely" to emphasize the catastrophic nature of the situation.

really devastating

Uses "really" as a less formal alternative to "truly", and "devastating" instead of "heartbreaking".

profoundly sorrowful

Replaces "heartbreaking" with "sorrowful" and "truly" with "profoundly" to give a more reflective and somber tone.

genuinely painful

Employs "painful" to directly address the emotional hurt and "genuinely" for emphasis.

exceedingly regrettable

Substitutes the original phrase with a more formal expression conveying deep regret and sadness.

incredibly unfortunate

Uses "unfortunate" instead of "heartbreaking" for a milder, more indirect expression of sorrow.

FAQs

How can I use "truly heartbreaking" in a sentence?

You can use "truly heartbreaking" to describe a situation that evokes deep sorrow. For example, "It was "truly heartbreaking" to see the refugees struggling to survive".

What phrases can I use instead of "truly heartbreaking"?

Alternatives to "truly heartbreaking" include "deeply saddening", "genuinely devastating", or "absolutely tragic", depending on the specific context.

Is "truly heartbreaking" grammatically correct?

Yes, "truly heartbreaking" is grammatically correct. "Truly" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "heartbreaking", indicating the intensity of the sadness.

What's the difference between "heartbreaking" and "truly heartbreaking"?

While both convey sadness, "heartbreaking" simply indicates that something causes sorrow. Adding "truly" intensifies the feeling, emphasizing that the situation is exceptionally sad and distressing.