heartburn
noun
heart·burn
ˈhärt-ˌbərn 
plural heartburns
: a burning discomfort behind the lower part of the sternum due especially to the backward flow of the acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus
In any given month, about one-quarter of Americans suffer from heartburn, which is caused by reflux, or backward flow, of stomach acid into the esophagus.—
Clyde M. Burnham
Clyde M. BurnhamHeartburn—painful reflux of stomach acid—can occur in a person with a perfectly intact esophagus.—Paul G. Donohue
see acid reflux
Paul G. DonohueExamples of heartburn in a Sentence
I like spicy food, but it gives me heartburn.
Recent Examples on the Web
Angina is easy to confuse with symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn or bloating.
—Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 13 Aug. 2024
This development is likely giving a fierce case of heartburn to two other political rivals.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
Some people may experience mild gastrointestinal symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, and nausea.7
Eating a lot of galangal may also be risky for people who take blood thinners or have blood disorders.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 31 July 2024
Keep In Mind Fish oil supplements may cause side effects such as loose stools and heartburn, says Pacheco.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heartburn 
Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 13 Aug. 2024
This development is likely giving a fierce case of heartburn to two other political rivals.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
Some people may experience mild gastrointestinal symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, and nausea.7
Eating a lot of galangal may also be risky for people who take blood thinners or have blood disorders.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 31 July 2024
Keep In Mind Fish oil supplements may cause side effects such as loose stools and heartburn, says Pacheco.
—Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heartburn
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartburn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near heartburn
Cite this Entry
“Heartburn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartburn. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heartburn
noun
heart·burn
-ˌbərn
: a burning discomfort seeming to occur in the area of the heart and usually due to spasms which pass acid from the stomach into the esophagus
Medical Definition
heartburn
noun
heart·burn
-ˌbərn
: a burning discomfort behind the lower part of the sternum due especially to the backward flow of the acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus
called also cardialgia, pyrosis
see acid reflux compare water brashLove words? Need even more definitions?
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