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Synonyms

heartbroken

American  
[hahrt-broh-kuhn] / ˈhɑrtˌbroʊ kən /

adjective

  1. crushed with sorrow or grief.

heartbroken British  
/ ˈhɑːtˌbrəʊkən /

adjective

  1. suffering from intense grief

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • heartbrokenly adverb
  • heartbrokenness noun

Etymology

Origin of heartbroken

First recorded in 1580–90; heart + broken

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She says she never imagined living through a moment that would leave her feeling both heartbroken and profoundly proud of her city.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Canadians were shocked and heartbroken for the two young pilots who died, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, and deeply concerned about flight attendant Solange Tremblay and others who were injured.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, said that that period left him feeling “really heartbroken by everything that occurred.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

It feels very odd for your father and me to have none of our children nearby, and we are feeling quite heartbroken.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.