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Synonyms

heartbreak

American  
[hahrt-breyk] / ˈhɑrtˌbreɪk /

noun

  1. great sorrow, grief, or anguish.

heartbreak British  
/ ˈhɑːtˌbreɪk /

noun

  1. intense and overwhelming grief, esp through disappointment in love

"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

Etymology

Origin of heartbreak

First recorded in 1575–85; heart + break

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.

There is also sadness in “Transcription,” as Mr. Lerner’s method is to flicker between humor and heartbreak.

From The Wall Street Journal

Wales head coach Bellamy is not trying to hide the fact that he and his players are still processing the "heartbreak" of their penalty shootout defeat at home to Bosnia.

From BBC

He pushed his palms against his eyes to fight his tears of disappointment and heartbreak.

From Literature

"The heartbreak is actually more than I anticipated, but the energy to refocus and go again is definitely still there," said Bellamy.

From BBC

The narrative quickly cuts to South London, where heartbreak's as prevalent as the pigeons.

From BBC

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.