These 4 zodiac signs suffer the most after breakups—but it's probably not who you'd suspect

Here's who made the cut—and how to move past the hurt

Collage of woman with tears against a galaxy background; zodiac signs and breakups
(Image credit: Getty)

Miley said it best: "Nothing breaks like a heart." But a few zodiac signs and breakups tend to mix as well as water and oil. 

Yes, we'll admit that getting over a split is universally challenging and requires plenty of ice cream. But cosmic pros tend to agree that a few culprits seem to have "difficult breakups" written in their astrological birth charts

Have you been pegged as one of the lucky four? Let's find out.

Zodiac signs and breakups: who has the toughest time letting go?

Water signs (a.k.a. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) tend to have the most difficult time with breakup coping mechanisms, which seems to feed into the notion that they're the most emotional astrological bunch.

"Water signs will have the hardest time letting go due to their sensitivity. Plus, water signs can be nostalgic, so letting go of a partner that they have spent a lot of time with or have built plenty of memories with might be challenging," says astrologer Liz Simmons

headshot of astrologer liz simmons
Liz Simmons

Liz Simmons is a freelance writer, astrologer, and tarot reader based in Salem, MA. She views astrology and tarot as another tool in our arsenal to understand the cosmic interplay in our lives. Currently, Liz contributes astrological articles and horoscopes to StyleCaster, POPSUGAR and Astrology.com. She is also the resident astrologer at ASCEND Get Lifted.

Likewise, astrologer Dalila Salgueiro says: "They put their whole heart and soul into a relationship and will hold onto them longer than they should."

Dalila Salgueiro headshot
Dalila Salgueiro

Dalila Salgueiro is an astro-manifesting coach and the founder of @themanifestingapp as well as Comms Ça PR agency based in London and New York. 

That being said, the cosmic professionals make the case that fixed signs (Scorpio, Leo, Taurus and Aquarius) tend to find moving on particularly difficult. 

"Once committed, fixed signs have the 'for life' mentality in love," Simmons adds. "So, a breakup will be a major emotional and mental blow since it disrupts the consistency of a relationship, determines a loss of loyalty and ultimately pushes the fixed sign toward unwanted changes."

According to Hillary Coke, a Western astrologer and tarot expert at Nebula, these particular members of the zodiac tend to take a pretty intense route when recovering from a split. 

"When an Aquarius’ heart is broken, you will know instantly. They will easily cut off all contact with their partner, almost as if they never existed," she says. 

Tauruses will channel their inner bull while an Aquarius will go all Taylor Swift and use their discomfort to hone their creativity. (Makes sense given that we have plenty of breakup songs for different zodiac signs.) And then there's the strong-willed, center-of-attention Leo.

"If you are friends with a Leo who has just experienced a breakup, you will definitely be getting a phone call," Coke says. "Leos will want to get everyone on their side, so prepare to hear all the awful details."

hillary coke astrologer headshot
Hillary Coke

Hillary Coke is Western Astrologer and Tarot Expert at Nebula: Horoscope and Astrology Platform. She has over five years of experience in astrological readings, helping people figure out love and career matters and find their inner peace. She is deeply into Tarot, as it's been a big part of her life since childhood. 

How to move on from a breakup, no matter your sign:

While a few astrological traits might make an ending feel more catastrophic for some than for others, the truth is that we all have trouble nursing a broken heart. That's why dating experts recommend the *one* thing you need to do right after a breakup is to act selfish. (Yes, you're being given permission—and even encouraged.) 

"Shift the focus onto yourself and do things that you love that bring you joy and make you happy," dating coach Rikki Dymond previously told us. 

Let that Main Character Energy you used in the dating world help you during this romantic transition. We promise, a little self-compassion and TLC will make things easier. And for the moments you're feeling enraged, a little Clear Him Out White Smudging Sage (available on Amazon) will also do some good.

Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.