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

• brokenheartedness
  noun
• brokenheartedly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of brokenhearted

First recorded in 1520–30

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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

See Examples For:

brokenhearted

A headline in the Boston Globe, external summed up the mood: "Smitten from the start, Boston left brokenhearted as Tartan Army moves on."

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Ms. Rollin had been dealing with pain from arthritis and a gastrointestinal condition, she said, and had been brokenhearted since the death of her husband, Harold Edwards, a mathematician, in 2020.

From New York Times ● Nov. 24, 2023

This is especially hard when we are so raw and brokenhearted, but it is critical that we find ways to see one another.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2023

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

From Washington Post ● Apr. 6, 2023

I knew he had anointed me to preach the gospel, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim liberty to the captives.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

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