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.
A pair of heartwarming World Cup reflections: Soccer stirs up all sorts of emotions for fans.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
With all due respect to the heartwarming Cinderellas of this tournament, the reason we tune in every four years isn’t to witness the exploits of Cape Verde or Canada.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
"This heartwarming story is a testament to the kindness of our members and the strong sense of community that exists on Vinted," he added.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
But once the movie came out, it was so heartwarming to see that there were already like 10 other Latino superheroes that were making their debuts on the screen,” Maridueña said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
The news of that vote was heartwarming to the tired President; so, too, was the fact that all the Northern states except Kentucky, Delaware, and New Jersey were of one accord with the soldier vote.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
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.
