What Does the 🖤 Black Heart Emoji Mean?

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: November 23, 2024 Fact Checked

Ever wonder what a 🖤 (black heart emoji) means? From love to solidarity, the black heart emoji can show just what’s in your heart. The meaning of this dark emoji depends on context, and we’ve got all the definitions. Keep reading to learn what the black heart emoji could mean and how you can use it.

Black Heart Emoji Meaning

While the black heart usually symbolizes love or affection, there's a twist. Someone sending this emoji typically uses the color to indicate that they love something in a sad or gloomy way, or that there's dark humor involved in them saying they love something.

Section 1 of 3:

What does the 🖤 (black heart) emoji mean?

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1
It symbolizes love or affection. No matter the color, a heart is a heart nonetheless. Despite its dark shade, a 🖤 represents love and affection. Someone may send this emoji alone or at the end of a sentence to show that they care for you.
- “Thanks for helping me today🖤”
- “I don’t know where I’d be without you🖤”
2
It represents dark humor. When making a morbid or twisted joke, a 🖤 can be paired with other emojis. Someone may use a black heart to lighten the joke and show you that they’re only kidding.^{[1]
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- “Relationships are ropes🖤😵”
- “Should I get the bleach? Jk😂😂🖤”
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3
It shows mourning or loss. If someone’s lost a loved one, they may use a 🖤 to say they’re in mourning. Followers and friends may also comment with a series of black hearts to show support and say “RIP.”
- “May you rest in peace grandma🖤🪦🥀”
- “I’m so sorry for your loss🖤”
4
Someone’s feeling misunderstood or emo. A 🖤 can represent dark emotions too difficult to explain. If someone believes they have a dark heart, they may use a black heart when texting to symbolize their dark attitude.
- “I feel like no one’s listening to me🖤”
- “I like the way I am😈🖤”
5
Support for the Black Lives Matter movement. In recent years, a 🖤 has become a symbol for BLM. If you see this emoji online along with #BLM or ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻, it represents solidarity for the movement.^{[2]
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- “BLM🖤🙏🏾”
- “Standing up for what’s right🖤”

Section 2 of 3:

How to Use the 🖤 (Black Heart) Emoji

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1
Show some love. Whether it’s for your partner, best friend, or a relative, send a 🖤 to say “I love you.” You can send it by itself or at the end of a sweet message.
- “You’re too nice to me🖤”
- “Missing you today🖤”
2
Tell a dark joke. Use a 🖤 to give your dark humor some flare. This emoji will let your friends know you’re simply making a joke.
- “I 🖤 how he smiled in the death scene.”
- “Why did the man miss the funeral? He wasn’t a mourning person🖤🤣”
3
Say you’re sad. Maybe you're mourning or had a terrible day. You can use the 🖤 to tell friends you’re feeling down.
- “Thanks for your support. Today wasn’t a good day🖤”
- “🖤😔”
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Join the Black Lives Matter movement. Show that you support BLM by adding a 🖤 to your social media bios. You can also add this supportive emoji to a post about the movement.
- “🖤✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻🖤”
- “#BLM🖤”
5
Show support for all love. Add a 🖤 in a stream of rainbow hearts to your social media bios as support for LGBTQ+ movements. Captioning a post with this will also tell your followers you support the cause.
- “❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤”

Section 3 of 3:

Other Heart Emoji Meanings

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The 🖤 isn’t the only colored heart emoji. Pairing the black heart emoji with other hearts can make a unique meaning. Here are some other common heart emojis and definitions you can combine with a black heart emoji:^{[3]
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- 🤍: Pure love
- ❤️: True love
- 💛: Happiness
- 💚: Jealousy
- 💜: Compassion
- 💙: Trust
- 🧡: Friendship