Heartbreak

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Heartbreak

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

HART-brake  /ˈhɑːtbreɪk/

Definition

Intense sorrow or grief, especially caused by the end of a romantic relationship or a profound disappointment; the experience of something beloved being lost or destroyed.

Plain meaning

Heartbreak is the overwhelming emotional pain of losing someone or something you deeply loved or cared about — the end of a relationship, the death of someone close, or the destruction of a cherished hope. It is one of the most intense and most universal of human experiences.

Register

Neutral to literary. Heartbreak is a standard English word for intense emotional loss, widely used in music, fiction, journalism, and everyday speech. It is among the most universal of human experiences and among the most expressively named.