broken heart

noun

1. devastating sorrow, especially from disappointment in love; heartbreak.

   When you're young, you think you'll never recover from a broken heart.

Word History and Origins

Origin of broken heart¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Mr Alekari, who has been documenting his journey on social media to thousands of followers, said the theft was "painful" and had left him with a "broken heart".

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"It is with broken hearts that we share the passing of our beloved daughter Molly," they said in a statement.

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Reality star Harry Jowsey has flirted, broken hearts and lied on TV.

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A day after the hunt for Penelope was called off, Cecil died of what the media diagnosed as a "broken heart".

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Church leaders in Jerusalem say they have returned from a trip to Gaza with "broken hearts", describing starving people and children not "batting an eyelid" at the sound of bombing.

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Related Words

• agony 
• anguish 
• bitterness 
• despair 
• grief 
• heartache 
• pain 
• remorse 
• sorrow 
• suffering 
• torment 
• woe