heavy-harted

Definition

Adjective: "Heavy-hearted" describes a state of deep sadness, sorrow, or melancholy; it refers to feeling weighed down by grief, worry, or disappointment.

Usage Examples
  • (Feeling deeply saddened by the news.)
  • (Experiencing a sense of sorrow or disappointment.)
  • (The audience felt a collective sadness.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be heavy-hearted": to carry a burden of emotional pain or regret.
    • He was heavy-hearted as he said goodbye to his childhood home. (He felt sorrowful about leaving a cherished place.)
  • "with a heavy heart": an adverbial phrase meaning "sadly" or "with sorrow."
    • She accepted the decision with a heavy heart. (She reluctantly agreed, feeling sad.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Heavy-heartedness (noun): the state or quality of being heavy-hearted.
    • Her heavy-heartedness was evident in her quiet demeanor. (Her sadness was visible in her behavior.)
  • Heavy (adj): having great weight; also, emotionally burdensome.
    • The heavy atmosphere in the room reflected their grief. (The mood was emotionally oppressive.)
  • Heart (noun): the organ of emotion in figurative language.
    • His heart felt heavy with sorrow. (His emotions were burdened.)
Synonyms
  • Sorrowful: feeling or showing grief.
  • Melancholy: a deep, persistent sadness.
  • Downcast: low in spirits; dejected.
  • Grief-stricken: overwhelmed by intense sorrow.
  • Dispirited: lacking hope or enthusiasm.
Related Idioms
  • "to have a heavy heart": to feel sad or burdened by emotion.
    • He had a heavy heart as he watched the ship sail away. (He felt sorrowful about the departure.)
  • "a heavy burden to bear": a difficult emotional or physical responsibility.
    • The loss of her pet was a heavy burden to bear. (It caused prolonged sadness.)
  • "heart weighs heavy": an expression meaning one feels deep sadness.
    • My heart weighs heavy when I think of the past. (I feel sorrowful about memories.)
Usage Notes
  • "Heavy-hearted" is often used in formal or literary contexts to describe profound emotional states, not casual or fleeting sadness.
  • It is typically hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., "a heavy-hearted farewell") but can appear without hyphens in other positions (e.g., "He felt heavy hearted" is less common; "heavy-hearted" is standard).