heartbreak

noun

heart·​break ˈhärt-ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

has had more than her share of heartbreak

Synonyms of heartbreak

• sorrow
• grief
• anguish

Examples of heartbreak in a Sentence

He recently suffered a string of romantic heartbreaks.

I understand the heartbreak you must feel over your grandmother's death.

Recent Examples on the Web

Songs about heartbreak and toxic relationship cycles are precise and lucid, even in their delusions. — Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

While the family has been coping with heartbreak, Price said one moment of comfort was getting a letter from World Vision that Schowengerdt’s organ donation helped save the vision of two people. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2026

For those who lived just steps from the family, the killings left behind shock, heartbreak and haunting questions about whether something had been missed. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Reeling from heartbreak and feeling unmoored in the midst of divorce, Alex Farrington turned to social media to find community. — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heartbreak

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• forsake
• gouache
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

heartbreak

noun

heart·​break -ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

heartbreaking

-ˌbrā-kiŋ

adjective

heartbreakingly adverb

heartbroken

-ˌbrō-kən

adjective