heartthrob

noun

heart·​throb ˈhärt-ˌthräb 

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

On Saturday night, the Canadian heartthrob finally took the stage for his first headlining performance at the festival, using it as an opportunity to (yet again) reinvent his celebrity with a few close collaborators and a YouTube browser. —Reanna Cruz, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026

The actor became an instant fan favorite and the standout heartthrob of the cast, which earned him a quick movie role opposite Selena Gomez in 2011's Monte Carlo. —James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026

And your boy band member, Keith, isn’t the heartthrob. —Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026

Stars gleam and fade away fast, but the statues of two heartthrobs who died young and left good-looking corpses have lasted decades after their deaths. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for heartthrob

• kebab
• nawab
• blob
• bob
• cob
• daub
• fob
• glob
• gob
• hob
• job
• knob

Kids Definition

heartthrob

noun

heart·​throb -ˌthräb 

1

: the throb of a heart

2

: a sentimental emotion : passion

b

: sweetheart

also : an attractive and usually famous man