warmth
Americannoun
-
warmth
plural
-
the quality or state of being warm; moderate or gentle heat.
-
the sensation of moderate heat.
-
liveliness of feelings, emotions, or sympathies; ardor or fervor; enthusiasm or zeal.
She spoke her mind with great warmth. There was warmth in his greeting and in his handshake.
-
the quality of being intimate and attached.
All children need warmth and affection from their families.
- Synonyms:
- affection, kindness, tenderness
-
an effect of brightness, cheerfulness, coziness, etc., achieved by the use of warm colors.
The room has warmth since it was redecorated.
-
the means or ability to produce a sensation of heat.
a jacket with little warmth.
-
slight anger or irritation.
Her denial betrayed some warmth.
noun
-
the state, quality, or sensation of being warm
-
intensity of emotion
he denied the accusation with some warmth
-
affection or cordiality
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of warmth
First recorded in 1125–75, warmth is from the Middle English word wermth. See warm, -th 1
Explanation
Warmth is a quality of comfortable, soothing heat, like the warmth of a crackling fire in the hearth or the warmth of your cat in your lap. When you feel the sensation of being warm, that's warmth. You'll enjoy the warmth of a car's heated seats when you climb in after sledding for hours, as well as the warmth of a big mug of hot chocolate in your hands once you're home. Besides this literal heat-related warmth, there's also the figurative warmth of kindness and good feelings: "The warmth of my mom's smile makes everyone feel at home."
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.
The sweetness, the warmth, the intimacy in a seemingly tossed-off phrase—her songs could be 2½-minute novels, they could be love notes left on a kitchen table, they could be secrets whispered into your ear.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Much of that is due to the recent record warmth of the near-shore ocean, as the water temperature essentially sets the floor for how cold it will get at night along the coast, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
"There was a warmth and sincerity about her that shone through, and she never said no to having a photo taken or giving an autograph to anyone who asked."
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
“There was so much warmth in the McGuire family, and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents,” the show’s star, Hilary Duff, wrote in her Instagram tribute to her on-screen dad.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
I was just going to sleep, with my eyes heavy and the warmth from the fire in my face, when the dogs started an incredible uproar.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
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.
