heartbroken

adjective

heart·​bro·​ken ˈhärt-ˌbrō-kən 

: overcome by sorrow

Synonyms

• bad
• blue
• brokenhearted
• cast down
• crestfallen
• dejected
• depressed
• despondent
• disconsolate
• doleful
• down
• down in the mouth
• downcast
• downhearted
• droopy
• forlorn
• gloomy
• glum
• hangdog
• heartsick
• heartsore
• heavyhearted
• inconsolable
• joyless
• low
• low-spirited
• melancholic
• melancholy
• miserable
• mournful
• sad
• saddened
• sorrowful
• sorry
• unhappy
• woebegone
• woeful
• wretched

Examples of heartbroken in a Sentence

not as heartbroken over missing out on the trip to New York as I thought she would be

was utterly heartbroken when his pet dog died

Recent Examples on the Web

Willow Avalon The metaphorical equivalent of a heartbroken singer-songwriter debutante ball is attacking live stages and streaming platforms in overwhelming waves. —Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 29 Dec. 2024

However, our team is heartbroken to know these new horses have been without proper food and care for so long. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 20 Dec. 2024

This windswept, heartbroken ballad about Christmastime loneliness puts Swae Lee’s raw emotion at its center. —Maura Johnston, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024

More cancellations followed, lambs left heartbroken for the holidays. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above