heartache
English · Thesaurus
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heartache
- /ˈhɑːteɪk/ UK
Where it comes from
From Middle English heorteece, heorte-ece, from Old English heorteċe, equivalent to heart + ache. Blends both literal and figurative aspects, as emotional distress sometimes includes a physical element of chest discomfort. Compare heartbreak § Etymology, where the literal aspect is lesser, though it still can be said to have a physiological basis.
noun heartaches · heart-ach · heart-ache
- Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence. […]: to dye, to ſleepe, / No more; and by a ſleepe, to ſay we end / The Heart-ake, and the thouſand Naturall ſhockes / That Fleſh is heyre too?
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: heartbreak, brokenheartedness, grief, woe, sadness, sorrow, grieving, pain, penalty, sentence, heart, heavy heart, anguish, pressure, worry, in difficulties
Translations
Every language
noun emotional distress or pain
| Español | angustia, pena |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 心痛 shintsū |
| 中文 | 心痛 xīntòng |
| Français | chagrin d'amour, peine de cœur |
| Deutsch | Herzschmerz, Herzeleid, Herzweh, Herzenskummer |
| Русский | душе́вная боль dušévnaja bolʹ, страда́ние stradánije, рана rana |
Talk about this word "heartache." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/heartache. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. heartache. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/heartache "heartache." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/heartache.Cite this
@misc{heartache_2026,
title = {heartache},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/heartache},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
