at heart

Idioms  

1. 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.”

2. In one's deepest feelings, as a great concern, as in The governor has the party's best interests at heart . [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

He is at heart a centre-right conservative, who held key roles for years in Fidesz before deciding to establish a grassroots movement called Tisza to drive them from power.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

When the BBC visited a monastery that had been at heart of Tibetan resistance in July last year, monks spoke of living under fear and intimidation.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

He and Albarn are also artists at heart and in nature.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

For Gomis, addressing the question of dual identity means dealing with "different ways of talking about the same thing at heart".

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

And religion—whether you believe in God or Yahweh or Allah or something else, odds are that at heart you want the same things.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan