lovesick

adjective

love·​sick ˈləv-ˌsik 

: longing for, marked by, or expressive of a desire for romantic love

As the play begins, the Duke is like a lovesick teenager who listens to the same melancholy tune over and over as he dreams of the object of his affection.

—Tanya Grosz and Linda Wendler

"I'd trade a thousand roses for just one hand to hold," went one line of the lovesick songs [Allison Moorer] sang …

—Kevin McKeough

(humorous) News of a lovesick moose brought visitors by the carload to the farm …

—Faith McNulty

lovesickness noun

Traipsing about Europe in a state of weepy lovesickness over an Italian man …

—Daniel Lewis

Examples of lovesick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another version tells of a lovesick nobleman who created panettone to win the heart of a baker’s daughter. —Jenn Rice, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

As Victorian doctors turned their attention to hysteria, the figure of the lovesick woman faded from serious medical discussion, even as artists and writers continued to be fascinated by her. —Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

Stephen is pure toxic masculine evil in baggy jeans, carrying on a secret relationship with a wide-eyed Lucy over the show’s first season — only to dump her at its end and frame her as a lovesick stalker. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024

Bravo played Paul, the lovesick boyfriend of Roberts’ character. —Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lovesick

adjective

love·​sick ˈləv-ˌsik 

1

: weak with love

2

: expressing a lover's desire

lovesick poems

lovesickness noun