heartbreaker
Definition
Noun: 1. A narrow defeat or a defeat at the last minute: A very disappointing loss in a competition or contest that happens by a small margin or just before victory seemed certain. 2. A charming person who is irresponsible in emotional relationships: A person, often considered very attractive or charismatic, who habitually causes emotional pain by ending relationships or being unfaithful.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Defeat):
- The team's 2-1 loss in the final was a real heartbreaker.
- Missing the gold medal by 0.01 seconds was a heartbreaker for the athlete.
- Noun (Person):
- He was known as a heartbreaker; he'd date someone for a month and then disappear.
- She's a charming heartbreaker who leaves a trail of disappointed admirers.
Advanced Usage
- The term often carries a tone of sympathy for the person who is hurt or disappointed, rather than just describing the event or person.
- It can be used metaphorically for any situation that causes profound disappointment, not just in sports or romance (e.g., ).
Variants and Related Words
- Heartbreaking (adj): Causing intense sorrow or disappointment.
- The documentary about the orphaned children was heartbreaking.
- Heartbroken (adj): Overwhelmed by grief or disappointment.
- She was heartbroken when her dog passed away.
Synonyms
- For defeat: crushing defeat, agonizing loss, nail-biter (loss).
- For person: cad, philanderer, tease, seducer.
Related Idioms
- Break someone's heart: To cause someone deep emotional pain, typically in a romantic context.
- He broke her heart when he ended their engagement.
- Have a change of heart: To change one's opinion or feelings.
- She was going to sell the car but had a change of heart.
Noun
-
a narrow defeat or a defeat at the last minute
-
a charming person who is irresponsible in emotional relationships