harden one's heart

Idioms

Feel no sympathy for, as in We can't afford to give them more; we'll just have to harden our hearts when they ask. [Late 1300s]

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.

When things were hopeless, it was far better to recognize it and harden one's heart.

From Beyond by Galsworthy, John

It certainly does harden one's heart," she said; "my heart is as hard as a diamond.

From Sister Teresa by Moore, George (George Augustus)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023