heartache

noun

heart·​ache ˈhärt-ˌāk How to pronounce heartache (audio)
Synonyms of heartachenext
: anguish of mind : sorrow

Synonyms of heartache

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Examples of heartache in a Sentence

I've had more than my share of heartaches in my life. the heartache she felt when she saw the innocent victims of the war
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The music of the 1990s was a golden age of raucous, irreverent sound, and it was filled with heartache and tragedy. — Gene Park, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2026 The case was unsolved for decades Blandford and Bennett recount the heartache their family went through after their sister’s death. — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 He's considered one of the most influential rappers of all time with songs that speak to the human experience of love, heartache and familial relationships. — CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 He was surrounded by family, twelve sets of hands holding his lifeless body, sending him onward with heartache and love and stunned disbelief. — Dr. Lucy McBride, Time, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heartache

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartache was in 1578

Rhymes for heartache

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Browse Nearby Words

heart's desire
heartache
heart and soul
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Cite this Entry

“Heartache.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartache. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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