heartbreak

noun

heart·​break ˈhärt-ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

Synonyms

• affliction
• anguish
• dolefulness
• dolor
• grief
• heartache
• sorriness
• sorrow
• woe

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

Featuring explosive revelations, access to online empire builders and interviews with digital powerhouses followed by hundreds of millions, the documentary pulls back the curtain on an industry built on hype, hustle and heartbreak. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 26 June 2025

Findings from this research point to heartbreak, following organizational greenwashing and hypocrisy, or false promises to uphold environmental values with no follow through. —Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Fans were just as shocked as the talent by the wave and have been expressing confusion, outrage and heartbreak online. —Mackenzie Schmidt, People.com, 26 June 2025

TikTok users flooded the comments with reactions ranging from heartbreak to frustration. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for heartbreak

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

Kids Definition

heartbreak

noun

heart·​break -ˌbrāk 

: crushing grief, anguish, or distress

heartbreaking

-ˌbrā-kiŋ

adjective

heartbreakingly adverb

heartbroken

-ˌbrō-kən

adjective