heartwarming
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of heartwarming
First recorded in 1895–1900; heart + warming ( def. )
Explanation
Heartwarming things move and inspire you. If you want to get a job writing greeting cards, you better learn how to write heartwarming messages. When you're sick, little gifts and offers of support from your friends can be heartwarming, and stories that end with lost dogs reunited with their families, or good people living happily ever, after are also heartwarming. The origin of this adjective is fairly obvious: it describes things that "warm," or give a feeling of affection and pleasure to, your heart. A related word is warm-hearted, which dates from the 16th century.
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.
And just like that first-season turnaround in a pub dart game, where Ted shows up Rebecca’s vituperative ex, Rupert, good old Coach Lasso leaps in to caramelize Alice’s insult into golden, heartwarming sunshine.
From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026
Miraculously, it’s the most heartwarming comedy of the year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Some watch for the heartwarming romances, like Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury falling for each other back in 2019, while others prefer intense dramas - we see you 2022 winners Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
A pair of heartwarming World Cup reflections: Soccer stirs up all sorts of emotions for fans.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
She charmed them with heartwarming tales of making popadam in her grandmother’s kitchen while simultaneously introducing the old woman to the joys of hip-hop.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
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.
