Heartbreak Hotel
- idiom
- /ˈhɑrtˌbreɪk hoʊˈtɛl/
- Informal
- He often jokes that if he keeps dating like this, he'll be living in Heartbreak Hotel forever.
Examples
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And after the first chorus of "Heartbreak Hotel," so was she.
Fiction book (1995) -
After her breakup, she felt like she had checked into Heartbreak Hotel for good.
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Well, welcome to the Heartbreak Hotel.
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Going to the Heartbreak Hotel?
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The song was "Heartbreak Hotel."
Fiction book (1995) -
I'm going to the Heartbreak Hotel.
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Each song reminds her of what she lost, making her feel like she is stuck in Heartbreak Hotel.
Synonyms
A very strong sadness after losing someone you love
Deep sadness and pain you feel after losing or being rejected by someone you love
Deep sadness after losing someone you love
A long, very painful time after a big emotional loss
How Distressed
Surface Forms
Morphology
heartbreak + Hotel
The phrase combines 'heartbreak' (sorrow from romantic loss) with 'hotel' (a place to stay), yielding a straightforward metaphorical place/state associated with sorrow after a breakup. This noun+noun composition follows a clear, productive pattern and a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
The name Heartbreak Hotel gives a clear picture: a hotel where people with heartbreak stay after a breakup. So it means 'a place or time of deep sadness after a breakup'.