heartbroken

American  

[hahrt-broh-kuhn] / ˈhɑrtˌbroʊ kən /

adjective

1. crushed with sorrow or grief.

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heartbroken British  

/ ˈhɑːtˌbrəʊkən /

adjective

1. suffering from intense grief

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Other Word Forms

• heartbrokenness
  noun
• heartbrokenly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of heartbroken

First recorded in 1580–90; heart + broken

Explanation

To be heartbroken is to be so sad that it feels like your heart has cracked inside your chest. You’d be heartbroken after a death, but you can also be heartbroken when you get dumped by your girlfriend or boyfriend. Waaaaaa. When someone is heartbroken, they are deeply sorrowful or distressed. Feeling heartbroken about a tragic accident or disaster is an understandable response, and being heartbroken after a romantic breakup is basically inevitable. The word heartbroken has been used since the late 1500s, and it comes from heartbreak, which is rooted in the Old English heorte, "heart" and also "spirit" or "soul."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heartbroken

The Daily Mirror leads with the statement from the "heartbroken" relatives impacted by the funeral director's actions as they "reject cruel undertaker's apology as he arrives at court".

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Lee Clark, who played under Keegan in the 90s said he was "very heartbroken" by the news.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

She was generally right on target for the dramatic stories related, as take-charge and cheeky, witty, or sobbing and heartbroken as the lyrics required.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Emma is not simply heartbroken but angry at herself for allowing romance to distract her.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

And the nephew of the preacher Ob had needed so desperately to find looked on Ob’s heartbroken face and saw his pain and he reached out and put a hand on Ob’s shoulder.

From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant

Related Words

• grief-stricken
• sad