softhearted

British  

/ ˌsɒftˈhɑːtɪd /

adjective

1. easily moved to pity

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Other Word Forms

• softheartedly adverb
• softheartedness noun

Explanation

If you're softhearted, you're extremely caring and considerate—maybe even a little too much. Softhearted people generally make better kindergarten teachers than professional boxers. A softhearted car salesperson might give a discount to a buyer who doesn't have much money, and a softhearted teacher may give you an extra day to finish your project if you're feeling overworked in your other classes. The opposite of softhearted is hardhearted or heartless. A hardhearted person might walk right past a lost, crying child, while a softhearted person will probably stop and try to help.

Example Sentences

Gene Takavic is simply the frosting around several layers surrounding a softhearted center – and we all know that the center is the best part.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2022

“Indeed, we are all softhearted when we see your innocent expression, but that does not mean that we want to become playthings whom you can deceive!” she wrote in a post on Weibo.

From New York Times • Jul. 20, 2021

Give me some men who are softhearted men.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2019

Weak but wealthy, smart but softhearted, Tyrion’s ever-variable status was a microcosm of the instability of the Seven Kingdoms.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2019

When I woke up and staggered into our bedroom, Margot, normally the more softhearted of the two of us, would look at me skeptically.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover