heartstrings
Americanplural noun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of heartstrings
First recorded in 1475–85; heart + strings ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing heartstrings
Vocabulary from poems about being an American
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"Refugee in America"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Empathy, on stage, becomes a cornerstone of experiencing live performance that pulls heartstrings, inspires raucous laughter or elicits a collective groan when a poorly-hatched plan falters.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
“The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan” strikes the right balance of sincerity in the hands of Jasmine Warga, though there’s still plenty of material to tug at the heartstrings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Sometimes, it’s easier to say “no” to a request than to resist someone pulling at your heartstrings to acquiesce to their wishes.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 4, 2026
However, the black and white spaniel still happily greeted her rescuers with a wagging tail which "pulled on the heartstrings", she said.
From BBC ● Jan. 4, 2026
He told her that she was the apple of his eye, that she was wound around his heartstrings, that she was surely the finest little lady in the land.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
