brokenhearted

American  

[broh-kuhn-hahr-tid] / ˈbroʊ kənˈhɑr tɪd /

adjective

1. burdened with great sorrow, grief, or disappointment.

   Synonyms:

   dejected, despondent, heartbroken, heartsick

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brokenhearted British  

/ ˌbrəʊkənˈhɑːtɪd /

adjective

1. overwhelmed by grief or disappointment

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• brokenheartedly
  adverb
• brokenheartedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of brokenhearted

First recorded in 1520–30

Explanation

Are you so profoundly sad that it feels like a physical pain in your chest? You're brokenhearted. Someone might be brokenhearted about the death of a beloved cat or a falling out with an old friend. Another way to say brokenhearted is heartbroken. Either word is perfect for capturing the sensation that your heart has actually shattered from sorrow. It makes total sense to feel brokenhearted if your best friend snubs you or your favorite grandparent dies. This unhappy adjective has been around since the 1520s.

Example Sentences

The 63-year-old “Achy Breaky Heart” musician on Sunday penned a message of gratitude for “the California Rain” soaking the fire-ravaged state and said he was “praying for the brokenhearted and their pain.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2025

Ms. Huang tried to rally her brokenhearted friends.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2023

But Colman explained in a recent interview that costume designer Verity Hawkes wanted to portray the brokenhearted woman as rotting from the inside by darkening her hem to look like there's mold growing through it.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2023

Yet another called it “my home and safe place … where I have met my best friends, and the place to turn when I felt brokenhearted, frustrated, or alone.”

From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2023

Is this what it is to be brokenhearted?

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black