Synonyms

hearten

American

[hahr-tn] / ˈhɑr tn /

verb (used with object)

to give courage or confidence to; cheer.

hearten British

/ ˈhɑːtən /

verb

to make or become cheerful

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

heartener noun
hearteningly adverb

Etymology

Origin of hearten

First recorded in 1520–30; heart + -en ¹

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.

But the extraordinary acts of a number of people on the scene heartened many in Australia and beyond.

From The Wall Street Journal

In response to the report, ACE said it was "heartened to read of the 'overwhelming' backing for the principles - of excellence and access - that underpin our strategy, Let's Create".

From BBC

"It's massively heartening to hear actually and in a way, I'd say validating," she said.

From BBC

Dupuy said he’s planning to rebuild and is heartened by the number of houses going up already in the community, but the grief is always present.

From Los Angeles Times

But ultimately, I was heartened to see that Oxford made this choice because putting a name to a problem is often the first step toward solving it.

From Salon

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