at heart
Idioms-
Fundamentally, basically, as in He's a good fellow at heart . It was first recorded in Alexander Pope's Epistle to a Lady (1735): “But every Woman is at heart a Rake.”
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In one's deepest feelings, as a great concern, as in The governor has the party's best interests at heart . [Early 1700s]
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.
The man is rhapsodically shameless—oafishly charismatic, memorably strange-looking—a cynic at heart, and a carny in spirit.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
But Stephania lived in turmoil, because she was a feminist at heart.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026
The longer you live, the more likely you are to realize that not everyone has your best interests at heart.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026
"I'm a purist at heart and I think our Scotch bonnets need to be properly protected."
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
Even as I left Clarkebury, I was still, at heart, a Thembu, and I was proud to think and act like one.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
