heartbreak
Americannoun
-
heartbreaks
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heartbreak
Explanation
Heartbreak is a feeling of overwhelming sadness and grief. As Elvis sang, "Well, since my baby left me, I found a new place to dwell. Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street, at Heartbreak Hotel." Heartbreak can result from the breakup of a romantic relationship, or even the end of a platonic friendship — the heartbreak of having your best childhood pal move to another country can last a long time. The deep sorrow you feel when a loved one dies is an even more lasting and terrible kind of heartbreak. You can also use this word in an exaggerated way: "The soccer team's heartbreak was evident when they lost that match."
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.
See Examples For:
The cycle of heartbreak is familiar to job seekers everywhere: They see an ad for a role with great pay and potential, spend time customizing a cover letter and resume, hit submit, and then…nothing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Mr. Blaževičius’s considerable achievement here is to have created a film that observes them in dual heightened contexts, of history and heartbreak, without forcing the connections between the two.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The singer is a survivor of tragedy and heartbreak, including the death of her former boyfriend Mac Miller and the Manchester bombing that killed 22 fans after one of her concerts in 2017.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The answers may come with regret or heartbreak, but they may also come with glorious satisfaction and unbelievable revelations.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
A second can feel like forever if what follows is heartbreak.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
A record-smashing, boundary-breaking tennis champion, Serena Williams relives her highlights and heartbreaks, on and off the court.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
Anyone who's listened to Rodrigo's first two albums, 2021's Sour and 2023's Guts, knows the singer has endured a few calamitous heartbreaks, approaching them with a mix of anguish, confusion and feminine rage.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Yet even Honor is cowed by the household’s steely Yugoslav maid, Greta, who dismisses all heartbreaks and hysterics with the motto, “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
It’s the soundtrack of first loves and first heartbreaks, rotten days, soured friendships and sweet hopes for tomorrow.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
“She’s almost three months old, but he’s never seen her. That’s one of the biggest heartbreaks in this case.”
From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
