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heart

heart

1.8
The center of a person's feelings, like love or courage
  • noun
  • /hɑrt/
translation icon : corazón
  • From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
  • broken heart
  • change of heart
  • take heart

I have a very soft spot in my heart for this guy.

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Examples

  • I have a very soft spot in my heart for this guy.

  • So God is felt by the heart, not by reason.

  • Take those next steps with an open heart and an open mind.

  • Again, I give my heart to you.

  • How are you different in your heart and mind from the way you were last year?

    Academic text (2011)
  • Mary took this student's words to heart and began searching for better ways to teach.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Changing the minds and hearts of a school, district, or community is a challenge.

    Academic text (2015)
  • This is a huge sacrifice, and it's not really worth it if your heart's not in it.

  • I know that I should find forgiveness in my heart, but I can't.

  • From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate your kindness.

Synonyms

affection
vsheart
317 1.4

A gentle warm feeling for a person, animal, or thing

is more central and intense, also including courage and deep compassion
nerve
vsheart
231 3.9

Courage to do something despite feeling afraid

is the emotional source that includes that boldness plus love and compassion
tenderness
vsheart
41 3.4

A gentle caring feeling of love and concern for someone

is wider, covering both affectionate feeling and brave emotional strength
fondness
vsheart
38 2.8

A strong warm liking for a person or thing

is the emotional center that can include that liking and stronger feelings
heart of hearts
vsheart
  • Literature
19 6.1

The deepest feeling a person has inside that they do not show

is the public or general center of emotions, not just hidden beliefs
spunk
vsheart
19 7.6

A brave, determined attitude when facing danger or difficulty

is broader, including calm compassion and emotional warmth as well
mettle
vsheart
15 7.7

The courage and determination to keep going in hard situations

is emotional center that also covers caring and love, not only courage
heartstring
vsheart
  • Informal
15 5.2

Deep feelings that strongly affect someone

focuses on all central emotions including courage as well as deepest feelings
bosom
vsheart
  • Literature
13 8.4

The chest used in writing to mean deep feelings

is the broader concept of emotional core rather than a poetic image
cor
vsheart
  • Archaic
1 9.9

An old or literary word for the heart as the center of feeling

is the modern, general idea of emotional center including love and courage
philia
vsheart
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A strong love and friendship for a person or thing

is the everyday emotional center rather than a technical or classical term
heartstrings
vsheart
  • Informal
1 7.0

Deep feelings of love or sympathy that make you feel moved

covers those powerful feelings plus broader emotional strength like courage
warmheartedness
vsheart
4.4

A kind and friendly feeling toward other people

includes kindness but also emphasizes courage and emotional strength
warmness
vsheart
1.1

A feeling of kindness and affection toward someone

is broader, adding strong emotion and inner emotional strength beyond warmth

Antonyms

71 4.6

Lack of interest or concern about something

7 3.2

Lack of warmth or friendliness in someone's behaviour

Idioms

77 3.5

Really being a certain kind of person despite how someone seems

Someone does something in an honest way showing real feeling

35 2.5

From memory without looking at notes

The most important part that holds a group or thing together

heart and soul
  • Informal
26 3.3

In a way that shows complete energy and strong commitment

heart of hearts
  • Literature
19 6.1

The deepest feeling a person has inside that they do not show

heart of gold
  • Informal
17 2.9

A person who is very kind and generous

To be able to do something difficult because you feel kind or brave

The most important part of a problem or discussion

Show kindness to someone who needs help

9 3.7

Say something honestly and with strong feeling

8 6.4

Talk openly about your deepest feelings when you feel upset

to heart sank
  • Informal
8 5.0

To feel suddenly disappointed or sad

5 7.0

Something I like a lot and agree with

5 5.4

To have good intentions even if not always successful

5 4.5

Very kind and always ready to help others

young at heart
  • Informal
5 4.2

To feel and act lively and playful even though you are older

4 4.8

To sing with great feeling and energy

Make someone feel strong emotion or sympathy

To make someone feel happy and warm inside

heart is in it
  • Informal
2 6.0

Very interested and fully committed to doing something

To fall in love suddenly, often without planning

1 7.7

Become less kind or caring after being hurt

To care about someone or something and want to help them

to heart bleed
  • Informal
1 7.6

To feel deep sadness and pity for someone who is suffering

1 8.6

To feel very jealous or sad because someone else has what you want

1 7.3

A feeling of being very nervous and afraid because something scary or unknown might happen

heart of stone
  • Informal
1 6.4

Someone who shows no pity or kindness to others

To fall in love with someone or something

1 3.6

To make someone feel love or a strong liking for you

To show your feelings openly so other people can see them

9.9

To feel very excited and moved by something you like

To promise honestly that you are telling the truth

To end something completely so it cannot continue

A deep, loving memory that someone keeps in their heart

Being apart from someone makes you care for them more

A strong inner feeling that makes someone want to do something

To believe in Jesus and feel his love and guidance

Great care and effort for your job

To care a lot about a project and work hard to make it succeed

7.5

To feel something deep inside but not say it

softy at heart
  • Informal
6.7

A person who seems tough but is kind and gentle inside

Compounds

heart attack
  • Specialized
433 2.0

A sudden serious illness when blood cannot reach the heart

heart rate
  • Specialized
168 2.5

The number of times the heart beats in one minute

heart disease
  • Specialized
144 1.9

A problem that makes the heart not work well

64 3.4

Deep sadness and pain you feel after losing or being rejected by someone you love

change of heart
  • Informal
54 3.4

A time when a person decides they feel differently about something

heart failure
  • Specialized
48 3.0

A condition when the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body

heart surgery
  • Specialized
36 3.1

An operation on the heart to fix a disease or problem

Purple Heart
  • Formal
28 4.1

A military medal given to people in the United States military who are wounded or killed in action

26 2.4

A person who is very kind and ready to help others

heart-to-heart
  • Informal
18 4.1

A private, serious talk to share feelings or problems

open-heart surgery
  • Specialized
16 4.4

An operation where doctors open the chest to operate on the heart

14 4.0

A very sad feeling because of a loss or bad news

12 3.3

A doctor who operates on the heart and nearby blood vessels

heart muscle
  • Specialized
11 3.5

The part of the heart that makes it beat and forms its walls

bleeding heart
  • Offensive
10 7.4

A person who cares too much about people who are poor or treated unfairly

10 3.5

A condition in which the heart cannot pump blood well, causing fluid to build up in the body

artificial heart
  • Specialized
9 6.0

A machine placed inside the body that does the work of a human heart

heart monitor
  • Specialized
7 3.6

A machine that records and shows a person's heartbeat

heart rhythm
  • Specialized
7 3.0

A regular pattern of beats the heart makes when it pumps blood

heart murmur
  • Specialized
5 3.9

An unusual sound during a heartbeat that may show a problem with the valves in the heart

Good for your heart because it is low in unhealthy fat and salt

4 3.9

A heart problem present at birth that changes the heart's shape or how it works

The tender edible part in an artichoke that people eat

enlarged heart
  • Specialized
3 3.3

A heart that is larger than normal, often because of illness

heart-lung machine
  • Specialized
3 5.1

A machine used during heart surgery that pumps and adds oxygen to the blood

3 2.7

A disease where arteries to the heart become narrow or blocked, causing less blood to reach the heart

A doctor who finds and treats heart problems

heart-to-heart
  • Informal
2 3.9

Open and honest when talking privately about feelings

heart block
  • Specialized
2 5.3

The heart's signals stop partly or completely, causing slow, irregular beats and fainting

heart valve
  • Specialized
2 3.5

A flap in the heart that lets blood flow one way and stops it flowing back

heart line
  • Jargon
1 8.9

A crease on the palm that palm readers say shows feelings

heart valve
  • Specialized
1 3.8

An artificial device in the heart that takes the place of a damaged part that controls blood flow

A garden plant with arching stems and drooping pink heart-shaped flowers

weak heart
  • Offensive
1 6.5

A person who is easily frightened or emotionally upset

chicken-heart
  • Offensive
1 8.9

A person who is easily frightened and avoids danger

A quick nervous feeling in your chest when you are excited

heart ventricle
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A lower chamber of the heart that gets blood and pumps it to the lungs or body

A United States military medal that is given to service members wounded or killed in combat

biauriculate heart
  • Specialized
7.0

A heart with two upper chambers, as in mammals, birds, and reptiles

9.9

A small tropical tree that makes a rough, heart-shaped sour fruit

A small tropical tree that produces a heart-shaped fruit with a sweet-tart taste

A small tropical tree that grows a slightly bristly heart-shaped fruit

A large heart-shaped tropical fruit with soft, slightly acidic flesh

closed-heart surgery
  • Specialized
6.1

Heart surgery done through a small cut without opening the chest

athlete's heart
  • Specialized
6.0

An enlarged heart that develops in people who train hard

line of heart
  • Jargon
9.9

A line on the palm that palm readers say shows a person's feelings

heart massage
  • Specialized
3.2

Pressing the chest to make the heart pump when it stops

heart balm
  • Archaic
7.0

Something that makes you feel less sad

A large sweet fruit with a heart shape that people eat fresh

A nickname for the United States state of Alabama because it is central to Southern history and culture

A strong quick beating of the heart from excitement or fear

A sea animal with a heart-shaped body and a spiny shell

The main place or person in a home that makes people feel warm and come together

9.9

A climbing plant with woody stems and large balloon-shaped seed pods

9.1

A low plant with heart-shaped leaves that grows in shady places

A woodland plant with heart-shaped leaves and pale late-summer flowers

A small metal lock shaped like a heart that couples attach to bridges

News that makes you feel very sad and shocked

A heart that cannot be hurt or moved by feelings

5.8

A machine that replaces a person's heart for a short time until they can get a new heart

Jarvik heart
  • Specialized
5.5

A machine that replaces a human heart to pump blood

9.9

A strong sleeping medicine that works for a long time

4.5

A long-term heart condition in which past fevers damage the heart valves

3.7

A disease when some heart valves do not work properly

A tree from North America with smooth bark and hard edible nuts

How Caring

heart
1.8
compassion
423 2.7
warmth
103 1.0
kindness
297 1.0
indifference
71 4.6

Surface Forms

heart singular
hearts plural

Etymology

Heart came to mean feelings because people long thought emotions live in the heart, and the same old word appears in phrases like 'have heart' or 'lose heart'. So heart now often means the center of love, courage, or compassion.