People tend to think breakup pain is overblown
Core finding
In a Verasight survey of 509 U.S. adults conducted May 11, 2026, most Americans (85%) think people overstate how bad a relationship was once it ends, including 12% who think they do so very much.
A plurality put it at maybe a little (41%) and about a third at quite a bit (32%), while just 5% think people do not exaggerate at all and 10% have no opinion.
Topline distribution
People tend to think breakup pain is overblown.
To what extent do you think people exaggerate how bad their relationship was after a breakup?
n = 509 · May 11, 2026 · MoE ±4.6%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | May 11, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 509 |
| Margin of error | ±4.6% |
| Module | society |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/spsp26
To what extent do you think people exaggerate how bad their relationship was after a breakup?
Cite this question
Verasight SPSP Omnibus Survey #2026-045, fielded May 11-11, 2026, N=509 US adults age 18+, +/- 4.6%.