hearten
Americanverb (used with object)
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heartens,
present (3rd person singular)
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heartened,
past participle, past
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heartening
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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heartensimple
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heartenssimple
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have heartenedperfect
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has heartenedperfect
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am hearteningprogressive
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are hearteningprogressive
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is hearteningprogressive
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have been hearteningperfect progressive
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has been hearteningperfect progressive
Past
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heartenedsimple
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had heartenedperfect
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was hearteningprogressive
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were hearteningprogressive
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had been hearteningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hearten
Explanation
Things that hearten you cheer you up. A welcome home party will hearten even the weariest traveler. You might buy flowers for your grandmother to hearten her after a difficult week, or hearten a shy tap dancer with applause after his routine. Things that encourage or inspire, whether it's the sight of your dog waiting for you outside school or another person's success, can also be said to hearten. The figurative meaning of heart — as in "losing heart" or having a "change of heart" — is at the root of hearten, from the Old English heorte, "heart, soul, or spirit."
Vocabulary lists containing hearten
The Crucible
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This Week in Words : January 19 - 25, 2019
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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.
See Examples For:
The outpouring of love and offers of support hearten us.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
The relatively shorter break, after the company picked 2025 as the potential date for BTS' return as a group, also appeared to hearten the market.
From Reuters ● Oct. 18, 2022
Its inclusion will hearten many developing nations, which have been asking for a clear financial commitment to tackle the impacts of climate change that they can't adapt to.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2021
But what if you’re looking to hearten rather than startle the soul?
From New York Times ● Oct. 29, 2020
It cannot be otherwise, that is how we hearten ourselves.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
It fortifies and heartens me to witness the protests against this practice and the growing clamor from serious, nonpartisan public servants to redress it.
From New York Times ● Jun. 26, 2020
What heartens Sellars is a basic human need for creativity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2020
“What heartens me was within a couple of weeks of that passing, was the council came together and said, ‘Let’s do what we can to make sure that we get a year-round shelter before then.’
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 12, 2018
And though I know his battle against the shadows that kept him company in solitary are not yet won, he is getting better, which heartens me.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 30, 2018
Enjoy the joke with the mirth that heals and heartens, and speedily correct your mistakes.
From What Dress Makes of Us by Dorothy Quigley
"And I was heartened to hear Julia reflect that that was the experience that took place in our office."
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
McShane and Sartenaer have been heartened by the immediate response to the documentary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Borrowers had been heartened by the regular falls in mortgage rates during June and early July, but brokers say the latest changes are evidence of the uncertainty in the sector.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
We’re heartened by that progress, but the work goes on.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
In fact, they were so heartened by their success that not even the morning’s hidden-message broadcasts dimmed their optimism.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
All of that might sound heartening for people hoping that humans will remain central to the creation of culture.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Asked about the video footage of the snake on the Orange County beach, Crowell said it was heartening to see someone trying to help the sea snake.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
"I find it very heartening," 24-year-old Magnus Bjerg Sturm told AFP at the Social Democrats party at a Stockholm conference centre.
From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026
Not to tout major corporations too much, but it is heartening to see that even businesses worth billions of dollars have their customer in mind, too.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
It’s almost heartening to think that the attachment you have can define your perception as much as any other influence.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
