hearten

verb

heart·​en ˈhär-tᵊn How to pronounce hearten (audio)
heartened; heartening ˈhärt-niŋ How to pronounce hearten (audio)
ˈhär-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to give heart to : cheer
hearteningly
ˈhärt-niŋ-lē How to pronounce hearten (audio)
ˈhär-tᵊn-iŋ-
adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for hearten

encourage, inspirit, hearten, embolden mean to fill with courage or strength of purpose.

encourage suggests the raising of one's confidence especially by an external agency.

the teacher's praise encouraged the students to greater efforts

inspirit, somewhat literary, implies instilling life, energy, courage, or vigor into something.

patriots inspirited the people to resist

hearten implies the lifting of dispiritedness or despondency by an infusion of fresh courage or zeal.

a hospital patient heartened by good news

embolden implies the giving of courage sufficient to overcome timidity or reluctance.

emboldened by her first success, she tried an even more difficult climb

Examples of hearten in a Sentence

The team's victory has heartened its fans. thinking we were hopelessly lost, we were heartened by the sight of a familiar farmhouse
Recent Examples on the Web We are heartened that the calf survived the initial injury, and there is some evidence of healing. Li Cohen, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Ellison said she has been heartened by the response to Nimona, which has a 93 percent fresh rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and in addition to its Oscar nomination has also received nods from the Critics Choice Awards, the Annie Awards and the GLAAD Media Awards. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 For his part, Altman said he was heartened to see that schools, where teachers feared students would use AI to write papers, now embrace the technology as crucial for the future. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 13 Feb. 2024 The cardinal said he was heartened to see a growing, thriving community. Jesse Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024 Lamont said he was heartened to see a unanimous decision in the UI case. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 Jan. 2024 But some on Alderney were heartened that weeds were beginning to cover the hideous reminders of the occupation. Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024 As a member of the fund’s Oversight Group, I am heartened by the symbolic financial investment but even more moved by the Church Commissioners’ commitment to truth and reconciliation. Roy Swan, Fortune, 15 Jan. 2024 On the positive side, I am heartened by recent legislation from the Cassilly administration, passed by a majority of the current County Council. Aegis Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hearten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1524, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hearten was in 1524

Dictionary Entries Near hearten

Cite this Entry

“Hearten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearten. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hearten

verb
heart·​en ˈhärt-ᵊn How to pronounce hearten (audio)
heartened; heartening ˈhärt-niŋ How to pronounce hearten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to cheer up : encourage

More from Merriam-Webster on hearten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!