HEARTBREAK Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

heartbreak

noun

ˈhärt-ˌbrāk

Definition of heartbreak

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of heartbreak In her heartbreak, Twain turned to Thiébaud for support—who was also grieving. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 31 July 2026 No geopolitical analysis can justify a community’s heartbreak. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law, former manager, and now the executor of her estate, confirmed to Vanity Fair that the lack of a Cinderella album was a great heartbreak of Houston’s career. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026 During the interview, Portman opened up about her keen awareness of the challenges and heartbreak of fertility journeys. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartbreak

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartbreak

Noun

Outpouring of grief The sound of sobbing underlays chanting in dozens of dialects woven together in a single expression of sorrow for Imam Hussein and his companions and family, killed and taken captive in the defining event of Shia Islam.

— Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Flitting between deadpan sorrow and impassioned romance, Bridgers’ album is alternately spooky, hilarious, mysterious and sneakily moving.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of sorrow

Noun

On top of the unimaginable grief of losing her child, Baustert has been dragged through an ongoing legal marathon in her fight to hold her daughter's alleged attackers accountable.

— Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Every visit evoked grief and fury, happiness and gratitude, disbelief and mourning.

— Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of grief

Noun

Almodóvar’s film focuses on the suffering caused by a terminal diagnosis, and the additional anguish incurred by not having the option of aid in dying.

— Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026
With the help of an athletic trainer, Hoecht was guided to a bench and plopped down in anguish.

— Tim Graham, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of anguish

Browse Nearby Words

heartbeats

heartbreak

heartbreaking

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Heartbreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartbreak. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of heartbreak

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on heartbreak

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

salvo

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes