heartthrob

noun

heart·​throb ˈhärt-ˌthräb How to pronounce heartthrob (audio)
1
: the throb of a heart
2
a
: sentimental emotion : passion
b
: sweetheart
also : a usually renowned man (such as an entertainer) noted for his sex appeal
teen heartthrobs

Examples of heartthrob in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The '90s heartthrob — best known for his roles as Joey Russo on Blossom and Joe Longo on Melissa & Joey — married Cope shortly after meeting her on the set of Lifetime's My Husband's Secret Brother, directed by Lawrence's brother, Andrew. Tabitha Britt, Peoplemag, 19 Nov. 2023 But by the third movie, Efron had truly mastered the art of communicating Troy’s anguish through song and dance with a level of intensity and theatrical flair perhaps unmatched by any DCOM heartthrob that has come before or after him. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2023 He’s been around since the first season of Netflix’s Spanish hit, captivating viewers via his tender romance with heartthrob Ander, played by Arón Piper, and the jarring disapproval his character faces in his Muslim household. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2023 The song got the music video treatment, shocking fans once again with Sivan dressing in drag (looking fabulous) and featuring shirtless heartthrob Ross Lynch. TIME, 13 Oct. 2023 In one fun moment, Brown pops into the frame and makes a series of flirtatious winks at the camera as his embraces his boy-band heartthrob status. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2023 The film opens with a lonely cowboy (Millennial heartthrob Manu Ríos) singing fado, the Portuguese song of longing and melancholy. Armond White, National Review, 27 Oct. 2023 Some of the general clues have included that someone is a Grammy-winning global superstar, another is a Hollywood heartthrob, while yet another mystery celeb is a sporting hero. Alicia Vrajlal, refinery29.com, 24 Oct. 2023 There are references to Lionel Messi and Peruvian talk-show host Laura Bozzo and Puerto Rican heartthrob Jay Wheeler. Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartthrob.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartthrob was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near heartthrob

Cite this Entry

“Heartthrob.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartthrob. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

heartthrob

noun
heart·​throb -ˌthräb How to pronounce heartthrob (audio)
1
: the throb of a heart
2
: a sentimental emotion : passion
b
: sweetheart
also : an attractive and usually famous man

More from Merriam-Webster on heartthrob

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!