Heartbreak Hotel
3
8.2
- idiom
- /ˈhɑrtˌbreɪk hoʊˈtɛl/
- Informal
- He often jokes that if he keeps dating like this, he'll be living in Heartbreak Hotel forever.
Examples
-
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.
-
Well, welcome to the Heartbreak Hotel.
-
Going to the Heartbreak Hotel?
-
The song was "Heartbreak Hotel."
Fiction book (1995) -
I'm going to the Heartbreak Hotel.
-
Each song reminds her of what she lost, making her feel like she is stuck in Heartbreak Hotel.
Synonyms
90
3.4
Deep sadness and pain you feel after losing or being rejected by someone you love
77
3.9
A very strong sadness after losing someone you love
1
7.5
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'.