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

But none of his previous efforts have exuded such a strong fairy-tale quality as “Dogman,” a strange, sincere paean to a brokenhearted outsider who may also be a sociopath.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2024

Ms. Huang tried to rally her brokenhearted friends.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2023

Whether you’re brokenhearted or not, jajangmyeon is a recipe for comfort.

From Washington Post • Apr. 6, 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

Elizabeth was brokenhearted, and it was while they were trying to cheer her up that April and Melanie got the idea for the Ceremony for the Dead.

From "The Egypt Game" by Zilpha Keatley Snyder