heartbroken

Word family

• heartbreak
  nounB2
• heartbreaking
  adjectiveB2
• heartbreaker
  nounC1
• broken-hearted
  adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe deep sadness, but they differ in intensity and context. Heartbroken is the most common and versatile — it covers everything from romantic disappointment to the death of a loved one. Devastated is stronger, suggesting that the sadness has emotionally crushed the person, as in 'She was devastated by the divorce.' Grief-stricken is more formal and almost exclusively used for bereavement — you would say 'grief-stricken mourners' but not 'grief-stricken about a breakup.' Sorrowful is more poetic and less intense; it often describes a gentle, lasting sadness rather than a sharp blow. Heartsick is less common and suggests a gnawing, ongoing ache rather than a sudden wave of grief. For everyday use, heartbroken fits most situations; reserve devastated for the most painful losses and grief-stricken for formal contexts involving death.

Common collocations

Etymology

Formed by combining heart and broken, modelled on the earlier noun heartbreak. The image is of a heart physically snapping under the weight of grief. First recorded in English in the late 1500s.