Heartbreaking and Pitiful

Heartbreaking

Heartbreaking adjective - Of a kind to cause great distress.
Usage example: the heartbreaking state of Main Street now that most of the businesses have closed

Pitiful is a synonym for heartbreaking in sad topic. In some cases you can use "Pitiful" instead an adjective "Heartbreaking", when it comes to topics like disappointing.

Pitiful

Pitiful adjective - Deserving of one's pity.
Usage example: pitiful orphans who had lost everything in the war

Heartbreaking is a synonym for pitiful in poor topic. You can use "Heartbreaking" instead an adjective "Pitiful", if it concerns topics such as distressing, pathetic.

Nearby Words: pity, pitiless, pitiable, piteous, pitifully
Cite this Source
Pitiful and Heartbreaking. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/heartbreaking/pitiful
Heartbreaking & Pitiful. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/heartbreaking/pitiful>.
Pitiful or Heartbreaking. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/heartbreaking/pitiful.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "heartbreaking" and "pitiful" have occurred on timeline