heart skips a beat

idiom

informal

—used to say that someone is suddenly very surprised, excited, or nervous about something

When I learned I was on live television, my heart skipped a beat.

The shocking news made her heart skip a beat.

Examples of heart skips a beat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

To say the spotlight’s on you would be an understatement, as this not only amplifies your beauty and charisma but also attracts romantic encounters that make your heart skip a beat. —

Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2024 There is something about its cheap hotels, tacky bars, blue-plate diners and derelict trailer parks that make my heart skip a beat. —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 When New York magazine’s finance advice columnist dropped an article that went viral on Thursday about falling victim to a $50,000 scam, my heart skipped a beat. —

Ron Lieber, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 My heart skips a beat when the ship gets close to the Sydney Opera House with its white sail-like forms. —

Georgina Cruz, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Its façade in wood and stone is modest but still manages to make my heart skip a beat. —

Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2023

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“Heart skips a beat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart%20skips%20a%20beat. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

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