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

Pain and heartbreak are part of the very fabric of being a Mets fan. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026

Before the emotional outbursts at the meeting Thursday, Kinnear-Rausch, Little and Williams all expressed their heartbreak over the death of Jaxon and pledged to fix problems that led to the tragedy. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026

The effort has already produced results — and heartbreak. —Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026

Sometimes the most healing stories are the ones that begin with heartbreak. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026

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