as in sorrow
deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved
I understand the heartbreak you must feel over your grandmother's death
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartbreak
It’s meant to be engaging, humorous and at times lighthearted, while also addressing the serious realities and heartbreak of what happens when someone is wrongly accused.
—
Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Valentine is less a heartbreak record than a suite of songs about the weight of love with no place to land.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
The loss to the Broncos was the latest in a series of devastatingly close defeats in recent seasons for a franchise that has a long history of heartbreak.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026
That was my first Hollywood heartbreak.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreak
Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Valentine is less a heartbreak record than a suite of songs about the weight of love with no place to land.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 20 Jan. 2026
The loss to the Broncos was the latest in a series of devastatingly close defeats in recent seasons for a franchise that has a long history of heartbreak.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026
That was my first Hollywood heartbreak.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heartbreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreak
Noun
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Strangers from around the world have expressed their condolences and sorrow in an online obituary for the couple.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the deaths and ordered authorities to use all available resources to prevent further losses.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Layoffs often trigger feelings of genuine grief—loss of identity, community, financial security and routine all at once.—
Cynthia Pong,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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Debe's stepfather, Ed Holland, says her mother, Gloria, who was close to Debe, was overwhelmed with grief.—
Sarah Prior,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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However, the announcement has not dispelled the uncertainty or anguish among detainees’ families.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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Nacua lay on the turf at Bank of America Stadium, not in physical pain but instead in mental anguish.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heartbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreak. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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