noun
heartbreaker
HAHT-bray-kuh
noun
1
Someone who attracts romantic interest but doesn't return it, leaving others hurt.
"Everyone warned her that he was a notorious heartbreaker."
2
Something that causes deep disappointment or sorrow.
"Losing the final in the last minute was a real heartbreaker for the team."
How to Use Heartbreaker
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a person who casually breaks hearts, or an event (like a narrow sporting loss) that leaves people devastated.
Common pairings
a notorious heartbreaker
a real heartbreaker of a game
Word Forms
heartbreakers plural
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Everyone warned her that he was a notorious _____.
Etymology
From "heart" + "breaker" — someone or something that "breaks" hearts, whether romantically or through crushing disappointment.