have a heart

Idioms

Be merciful, show pity; also, be reasonable. For example, Have a heart—I can't pay you back until next month, or Have a heart and stop your arguing now. This expression is often put as an imperative, as in the examples. [c. 1900] Also see harden one's heart.

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.

"I have a heart condition, I'm diabetic and I feel it a lot," he said, after coming out in the cooler early hours to do his shopping.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

You’d have to have a heart of stone not to laugh.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 26, 2025

“You know, do machines have a heart? Do they have a soul? They don’t live and breathe.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025

Ruffalo: I was pitching Tom should have a heart attack at the end and he literally sees God and he says to God, “I’m ready.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2025

He’d have a heart attack if he saw you.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

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