heartbreaker

/ˈhɑːtˌbreɪ.kər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɑːrtˌbreɪ.kɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhärt-ˌbrā-kər How to pronounce heartbreaker (audio)/ (ame, mw)

heartbreaker — noun

  • heartbreakersingular
  • heartbreakersplural

1. a very appealing person who easily attracts romantic attention but often leaves

1.名詞C1
釋義

a very appealing person who easily attracts romantic attention but often leaves admirers hurt afterward.

例句

By the end of summer camp, everyone agreed that Eli was a heartbreaker.

be a heartbreaker (social label)

Gabriela called her older brother a heartbreaker after three classmates sent him notes.

call someone a heartbreaker

同義詞
  • charmer

    emphasises attractiveness and smooth manner, but does not imply emotional damage

  • flirt

    focuses on playful romantic behaviour; a flirt may not leave anyone deeply hurt

  • player

    more negative and suggests deliberate insincerity in relationships

  • heartthrob

    usually a famous man admired by many fans, not just someone who hurts people in love

反義詞
  • devoted partner

    suggests loyalty and steady care instead of emotional damage

文法句型

be a heartbreaker

become a heartbreaker

a known/serial heartbreaker

用法筆記

Usually used for someone who repeatedly wins romantic interest and then disappoints people. Often said half-jokingly about an attractive classmate, singer, or young adult rather than in very formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌My quiet neighbour is a heartbreaker because he never smiles.
✅My quiet neighbour seems distant.
💡heartbreaker suggests people are strongly drawn to the person first.
❌That exam was a heartbreaker.
✅That exam result was heartbreaking.
💡this sense refers to a person who hurts admirers, not to a sad event.

2. an event, result, or piece of news that leaves someone deeply upset.

2.名詞C1
釋義

an event, result, or piece of news that leaves someone deeply upset.

例句

Losing the final by one point was a real heartbreaker for the school team.

a real heartbreaker for + group

The hospital closure was a heartbreaker for families in the mountain towns.

be a heartbreaker for + people

同義詞
  • blow

    more general and often less emotional; a blow can be practical as well as sad

  • disappointment

    broader and weaker; heartbreaker suggests deeper hurt

  • tragedy

    much stronger and usually for a far more serious event

  • devastation

    describes the emotional state more than the upsetting event itself

反義詞
  • good news

    brings relief or happiness instead of deep sadness

文法句型

be a heartbreaker

a real/complete heartbreaker

heartbreaker for + person/group

用法筆記

Used for losses, setbacks, or news that hit hard emotionally, especially when people had strong hopes beforehand. Small everyday annoyances usually sound too trivial for this word.

常見錯誤

❌I lost my pen. What a heartbreaker.
✅I lost my pen. How annoying.
💡heartbreaker is for serious disappointment, not tiny daily problems.
❌My brother is a heartbreaker because he failed the exam.
✅My brother's exam result was a heartbreaker.
💡this sense names the sad event, not the person.