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heart

heart

∞ 1.8
The center of a person's feelings, like love or courage
  • noun
  • /hɑrt/
: 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
276 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
112 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
39 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
25 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
24 7.6

A brave, determined attitude when facing danger or difficulty

is broader, including calm compassion and emotional warmth as well
mettle
vsheart
14 7.7

The courage and determination to keep going in hard situations

is emotional center that also covers caring and love, not only courage
bosom
vsheart
  • Literature
11 8.4

The chest used in writing to mean deep feelings

is the broader concept of emotional core rather than a poetic image
heartstrings
vsheart
  • Informal
11 7.0

Deep feelings of love or sympathy that make you feel moved

covers those powerful feelings plus broader emotional strength like courage
heartstring
vsheart
  • Informal
1 5.2

Deep feelings that strongly affect someone

focuses on all central emotions including courage as well as deepest feelings
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
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
warmness
vsheart
1 1.1

A feeling of kindness and affection toward someone

is broader, adding strong emotion and inner emotional strength beyond warmth
warmheartedness
vsheart
1 4.4

A kind and friendly feeling toward other people

includes kindness but also emphasizes courage and emotional strength

Antonyms

66 4.6

Lack of interest or concern about something

6 3.2

Lack of warmth or friendliness in someone's behaviour

Idioms

94 3.5

Really being a certain kind of person despite how someone seems

Someone does something in an honest way showing real feeling

37 2.5

From memory without looking at notes

heart and soul
  • Informal
29 3.3

In a way that shows complete energy and strong commitment

The most important part that holds a group or thing together

heart of hearts
  • Literature
25 6.1

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

heart of gold
  • Informal
25 2.9

A person who is very kind and generous

Show kindness to someone who needs help

23 3.6

To make someone feel love or a strong liking for you

22 5.4

To have good intentions even if not always successful

19 7.5

To feel something deep inside but not say it

to heart sank
  • Informal
14 5.0

To feel suddenly disappointed or sad

The most important part of a problem or discussion

11 3.7

Say something honestly and with strong feeling

9 4.5

Very kind and always ready to help others

to heart bleed
  • Informal
8 7.6

To feel deep sadness and pity for someone who is suffering

young at heart
  • Informal
8 4.2

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

6 7.0

Something I like a lot and agree with

heart of stone
  • Informal
5 6.4

Someone who shows no pity or kindness to others

Make someone feel strong emotion or sympathy

heart is in it
  • Informal
5 6.0

Very interested and fully committed to doing something

4 9.9

To feel very excited and moved by something you like

To care about someone or something and want to help them

To promise honestly that you are telling the truth

A strong inner feeling that makes someone want to do something

Being apart from someone makes you care for them more

1 7.7

A deep, loving memory that someone keeps in their heart

To end something completely so it cannot continue

To make someone feel happy and warm inside

softy at heart
  • Informal
1 6.7

A person who seems tough but is kind and gentle inside

To fall in love suddenly, often without planning

8.6

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

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

To fall in love with someone or something

7.7

Become less kind or caring after being hurt

To believe in Jesus and feel his love and guidance

7.3

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

Great care and effort for your job

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

Talk openly about your deepest feelings when you feel upset

To sing with great feeling and energy

To show your feelings openly so other people can see them

Compounds

heart attack
  • Specialized
506 2.0

A sudden serious illness when blood cannot reach the heart

heart disease
  • Specialized
142 1.9

A problem that makes the heart not work well

heart rate
  • Specialized
137 2.5

The number of times the heart beats in one minute

90 3.4

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

change of heart
  • Informal
55 3.4

A time when a person decides they feel differently about something

heart failure
  • Specialized
51 3.0

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

heart surgery
  • Specialized
47 3.1

An operation on the heart to fix a disease or problem

46 2.4

A person who is very kind and ready to help others

Purple Heart
  • Formal
36 4.1

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

bleeding heart
  • Offensive
25 7.4

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

18 4.0

A very sad feeling because of a loss or bad news

open-heart surgery
  • Specialized
17 4.4

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

heart muscle
  • Specialized
16 3.5

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

heart-to-heart
  • Informal
15 4.1

A private, serious talk to share feelings or problems

14 3.3

A doctor who operates on the heart and nearby blood vessels

heart monitor
  • Specialized
12 3.6

A machine that records and shows a person's heartbeat

12 3.5

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

artificial heart
  • Specialized
11 6.0

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

heart rhythm
  • Specialized
10 3.0

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

heart-to-heart
  • Informal
8 3.9

Open and honest when talking privately about feelings

heart murmur
  • Specialized
7 3.9

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

weak heart
  • Offensive
6 6.5

A person who is easily frightened or emotionally upset

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

heart-lung machine
  • Specialized
4 5.1

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

4 3.9

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

enlarged heart
  • Specialized
4 3.3

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

heart valve
  • Specialized
4 3.8

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

A quick nervous feeling in your chest when you are excited

4 2.7

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

The tender edible part in an artichoke that people eat

A doctor who finds and treats heart problems

heart valve
  • Specialized
2 3.5

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

heart block
  • Specialized
2 5.3

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

heart line
  • Jargon
1 8.9

A crease on the palm that palm readers say shows feelings

heart ventricle
  • Specialized
1 4.4

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

chicken-heart
  • Offensive
1 8.9

A person who is easily frightened and avoids danger

1 7.4

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

1 3.9

A strong quick beating of the heart from excitement or fear

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

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

heart massage
  • Specialized
1 3.2

Pressing the chest to make the heart pump when it stops

1 4.7

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

1 4.5

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

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

1 5.8

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

1 3.7

A disease when some heart valves do not work properly

Jarvik heart
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A machine that replaces a human heart to pump blood

athlete's heart
  • Specialized
1 6.0

An enlarged heart that develops in people who train hard

1 9.9

A strong sleeping medicine that works for a long time

1 9.1

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

heart balm
  • Archaic
1 7.0

Something that makes you feel less sad

line of heart
  • Jargon
1 9.9

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

1 9.9

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

1 9.9

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

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

biauriculate heart
  • Specialized
7.0

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

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

closed-heart surgery
  • Specialized
6.1

Heart surgery done through a small cut without opening the chest

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

9.9

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

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

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

How Caring

heart
∞ 1.8
compassion
344 2.7
warmth
62 1.0
kindness
257 1.0
indifference
66 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.