heartache

/ˈhɑːteɪk/

//ˈhɑːteɪk// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"heartache" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“heartache” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,400. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,400
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence.

Corpus desk

Index EN-heartache · heartache · English

heartache · rank #22,400 · 13 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #22,400
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH haute

Nearest frequency peer: haute (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “heartache”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “heartache” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

heartache vs headache
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for heartache
PropertyValue
Headwordheartache
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɑːteɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#22,400
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “heartache”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).heartachelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “haute” (#22,399), “Hertfordshire” (#22,401), “Harlan” (#22,398). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “heartache” is #22,400. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around heartache (IPA /ˈhɑːteɪk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #22,400 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for heartache, with forms such as "ehartache", "haertache", and "hearatche". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "headache", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English heorteece, heorte-ece, from Old English heorteċe, equivalent to heart + ache. Blends both literal and figurative aspects, as emotional distress sometimes includes a physical element of chest discomfort. Compare heartbreak § Etymology, wh… The correct English form is heartache, spelled H-E-A-R-T-A-C-H-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how heartache appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. […]: to dye, to ſleepe, / No more; and by a ſleepe, to ſay we end / The Heart-ake, and the thouſand Naturall ſhockes / That Fleſh is heyre too?
  2. “Well done, sister! I honour your esprit du corps. When I am a wife, I mean to be just as staunch myself; and I wish my friends in general would be so too. It would save me many a heart ache.”

Etymology

From Middle English heorteece, heorte-ece, from Old English heorteċe, equivalent to heart + ache. Blends both literal and figurative aspects, as emotional distress sometimes includes a physical element of chest discomfort. Compare heartbreak § Etymology, where the literal aspect is lesser, though it still can be said to have a physiological basis.

This word in other languages

angustia(Español)chagrin d'amour(Français)Herzenskummer(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehartache
  • haertache
  • hearatche
  • hearrtache
  • heartacche
  • heartaceh
  • heartachhe
  • heartahce
  • heartcahe
  • hearttache
  • heatrache
  • heratache
  • hheartache

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of heartache - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ehartache2haertache2hearatche2hearrtache1heartacche1heartaceh2heartachhe1heartahce2
Edit distance from "heartache"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "heartache"?
"heartache" is spelled H-E-A-R-T-A-C-H-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑːteɪk/.
What does "heartache" mean?
As a noun, "heartache" means: Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence.
What words are commonly confused with "heartache"?
"heartache" is commonly confused with "headache". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "heartache"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "heartache" is /ˈhɑːteɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "heartache"?
From Middle English heorteece, heorte-ece, from Old English heorteċe, equivalent to heart + ache. Blends both literal and figurative aspects, as emotional distress sometimes includes a physical element of chest discomfort. Compare heartbreak § Ety... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "heartache", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

homeowner#22,402imitating#22,406insurgent#22,410limousine#22,423

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

handedly13 variantsMcCormick13 variantsmisogyny13 variantscuriously13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list