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
More than 65 million Americans are affected by the chronic condition, in which stomach acid flows into the esophagus, causing irritation and heartburn, among other symptoms.
—Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025
The race for the seat once held by Waltz may also give Republicans a bit of heartburn given a new poll shows the race between Republican Randy Fine and Democrat Josh Weil is within the margin of error.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
Coffee is more acidic than matcha, which may be irritating to the stomach or cause heartburn in some.
—Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
In general, overconsumption of garlic can produce side effects, including garlic breath, digestive issues, bloating, stomach pains, gas and heartburn.
—Peter Burke, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartburn
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Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2025
The race for the seat once held by Waltz may also give Republicans a bit of heartburn given a new poll shows the race between Republican Randy Fine and Democrat Josh Weil is within the margin of error.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
Coffee is more acidic than matcha, which may be irritating to the stomach or cause heartburn in some.
—Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
In general, overconsumption of garlic can produce side effects, including garlic breath, digestive issues, bloating, stomach pains, gas and heartburn.
—Peter Burke, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartburn
Cite this Entry
“Heartburn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartburn. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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