idiom / phrasal expression · informal
break someone's heart
UK/breɪk ˈsʌmwʌnz hɑːt/US/breɪk ˈsʌmwənz hɑrt/break·SOME·one's·HEART
to make someone feel very sad, especially by ending a romantic relationship or disappointing them deeply
Examples
“It broke her heart when he left without saying goodbye.”
“Parents are heartbroken when their child leaves home unexpectedly.”
“He didn't mean to break her heart, but the truth was unavoidable.”
Band 8 sentence
“The betrayal broke her heart, yet she managed to speak calmly at the meeting to present the facts.”
Collocations
- break someone's heart by doing something
- be heartbroken
- break his/her heart
Word family
Common mistakes
break heart→break someone's heart
make someone's heart broken→break someone's heart
Say it for a higher band
5make someone sad→6hurt someone→7+break someone's heart
Synonyms
devastate (emotionally)
hurt
Easily confused
hurt someone
“His words really hurt her, but they didn't break her heart.”
devastate
“The news of his death devastated the family.”
Related words
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In break …
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