heartbreaker

plural heartbreakers

1. Someone or something that breaks someone's heart, as:
   1. agentA person, usually attractive, who flirts with or otherwise enamours another person, but does not reciprocate their love.

      I imagined him as the kind of boy who knows girls are equals; the teen with female friends as well as male; then a kind man, a good man, the kind of man who knows better than to be a heartbreaker, despite his looks.

      2009, Andrea J Buchanan, It's a Boy: Women Writers on Raising Sons, Seal Press, →ISBN, page 146

      2 more examples

      It wasn't an actual run-in with the heartbreaker himself, but with a very good friend of his. It's actually much better that way, Victor explained, because seeing the friend of the person who stepped on your heart isn't going to kill you all over again.

      2005, Alison Pace, If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, Penguin, →ISBN

      "And this little lovely standing next to him is my favorite heartbreaker, The Fair Lady Sara from Samaria. Kids, this is Dr. Donovan." Sara beamed, obviously thrilled at being considered anyone's heartbreaker, especially Uncle Erik's.

      2006, Lynn Price, Donovan's Paradigm, Behler Publications, →ISBN, page 234

   2. agentSomething that causes sorrow, grief or extreme disappointment.

      It's a heartbreaker, as I was reminded just now when I went to get the chapter reference, reread it, and started bawling.

      2007, George Saunders, The Braindead Megaphone, Penguin, →ISBN

      2 more examples

      He's not lucid most of the time, and that's a heartbreaker. The LAPD will not release details on the altercation that earned Dudley Smith his wounds; they know he would prefer to spare the family of the robber he killed the ignominy of public ...

      2011, James Ellroy, White Jazz, Vintage, →ISBN, page 340

      It's a heartbreaker. The worst part of that situation was trying to console Grace. It was just awful. Don't let experiences like this make you bitter. The truth is, our kids are a challenge, and not everyone is going to want to join us in this journey.

      2011, Bobbi Sheahan, Kathy DeOrnellas, What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism: A Mom and a Psychologist Offer Heartfelt Guidance for the First Five Years, Future Horizons, →ISBN, page 198

   3. agenthobbiesA match which ends in defeat for a promising player or team.

      Kansas appeared in its first bowl following the 1947 season, losing a heartbreaker to Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. KU landed in the Bluebonnet Bowl following the 1961 season, and beat up a good Rice squad, 33-7.

      2004, Mark Stallard, Tales from the Jayhawks Gridiron, Sports Publishing LLC, →ISBN, page 164

      2 more examples

      Wyoming lost a heartbreaker 7–6. Utah's touchdown was scored on an intercepted pass, Wyoming missed an extra point and, most importantly, an official did not get downfield in time to see a punt hit a Utah player not once, but twice[…]

      2006, Tom Benjey, Keep A-goin': The Life of Lone Star Dietz, Tuxedo Press, →ISBN, page 246

      In 1988 and again in 1989 the team went back to Bristol, Connecticut, for the nationals, coming in at third place one year and in second place another, losing the championship to Wisconsin-Oshkosh in a heartbreaker in eleven innings.

      2009, Dieter Dubberke, Three Times Blessed, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 94

   4. agentdatedA curl or lovelock.