hearten — To give courage, confidence, or hope to someone; to encourage or make someone feel more cheerful and optimistic.
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: To give courage, confidence, or hope to someone; to encourage or make someone feel more cheerful and optimistic.
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhɑːrtən/
Example Sentences
- The pizza delivery guy was heartened when he received a $50 tip for being on time.
- Students were heartened to learn that the final exam was open-book.
- The positive feedback from customers heartened the young entrepreneur.
hearten
VERB[/ˈhɑːrtən/]
To give courage, confidence, or hope to someone; to encourage or make someone feel more cheerful and optimistic.

To give courage, confidence, or hope to someone; to encourage or make someone feel more cheerful and optimistic.

At kindergarten's door, kind words hearten and smarten!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle English 'herten', formed by combining 'heart' (the organ and center of emotions) with the verb-forming suffix '-en'. The word literally means 'to give heart to' or 'to make brave'.
Breakdown
heart (courage, spirit) + -en (verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make' or 'to cause to become')
🎵Rhyme
📝Examples
“The pizza delivery guy was heartened when he received a $50 tip for being on time.”
“Students were heartened to learn that the final exam was open-book.”
“The positive feedback from customers heartened the young entrepreneur.”
“She was heartened by her grandmother's quick recovery from surgery.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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