Heartbreak is the overwhelming sadness and pain you feel when something or someone you deeply care about is lost or taken away. The word captures how emotional pain can feel almost physical, as if your heart itself is breaking apart inside your chest.

Most often, heartbreak describes the grief of losing a close relationship. When best friends move to different cities, when someone you love dies, or when a friendship ends badly, that heavy, aching feeling is heartbreak. You might feel it when a beloved pet dies, when your parents divorce, or when someone you trusted lets you down in a serious way.

The feeling is called heartbreak because it's so intense it can affect your whole body. You might lose your appetite, have trouble sleeping, or feel a genuine ache in your chest. Time usually helps heartbreak fade, though the loss itself may always matter to you.

People describe themselves as heartbroken when experiencing this pain. A heartbreaking story is one that makes you feel deep sadness for the people in it. Though heartbreak is one of the hardest feelings to experience, working through it can teach you about your own strength and capacity to heal.