Adjectives, Nouns, and Verbs That Start With heart

If you are looking for words that start with heart and want to know how to use them correctly as adjectives, nouns, and verbs, this guide gives you a direct answer. The root heart appears in many English words that relate to emotion, courage, sincerity, and the physical organ itself. Below you will find clear definitions, practical examples, and usage notes for each part of speech, so you can use these words naturally in writing, conversation, and email.

Quick Answer: Words That Start With heart

The most common words that start with heart are heart (noun), heartfelt (adjective), heartless (adjective), hearten (verb), and heartening (adjective). Less common but useful words include heartthrob (noun), heartache (noun), and heartbroken (adjective). Each word has a specific tone and context, which we explain below.

Adjectives That Start With heart

Adjectives formed from heart describe emotions, sincerity, or lack of compassion. They are common in both formal and informal English.

heartfelt

Meaning: Sincere, deeply felt, genuine.

Usage: Use heartfelt in formal or emotional contexts, such as letters of thanks, condolences, or apologies. It is not used in casual conversation about everyday things.

Examples:

• She sent a heartfelt thank-you note after the interview.
• His heartfelt apology resolved the misunderstanding.
• The team offered heartfelt condolences to the family.

Tone: Formal, sincere, warm.

heartless

Meaning: Cruel, unkind, lacking compassion.

Usage: Heartless is used to criticize someone’s behavior or decision. It is common in both conversation and writing, but it is a strong word.

Examples:

• It was heartless to ignore her request for help.
• The company made a heartless decision to cut health benefits.
• Don’t be so heartless; listen to what she has to say.

Tone: Negative, strong criticism.

heartening

Meaning: Encouraging, uplifting, giving hope.

Usage: Use heartening to describe news, results, or actions that make you feel more positive. It is common in both formal reports and casual conversation.

Examples:

• It is heartening to see so many volunteers.
• The sales figures were heartening for the team.
• Her recovery is heartening news for everyone.

Tone: Positive, hopeful, slightly formal.

heartbroken

Meaning: Extremely sad, devastated by loss or disappointment.

Usage: Heartbroken is used for personal emotional pain. It is common in conversation and personal writing, but less common in formal business emails.

Examples:

• She was heartbroken when her pet died.
• He felt heartbroken after the breakup.
• The fans were heartbroken by the team’s loss.

Tone: Emotional, personal, informal to neutral.

Nouns That Start With heart

Nouns with heart refer to the physical organ, emotions, or a central part of something.

heart (basic noun)

Meaning: The organ that pumps blood; also used figuratively for emotions, courage, or the center of something.

Usage: Extremely common in all contexts. The figurative use is very frequent.

Examples:

• She has a kind heart.
• He put his heart into the project.
• The heart of the city is the old square.

Tone: Neutral, versatile.

heartache

Meaning: Deep emotional pain, usually from loss or disappointment.

Usage: Common in personal writing and conversation. Less common in formal business contexts.

Examples:

• The breakup caused a lot of heartache.
• She went through years of heartache after her father died.

Tone: Emotional, personal.

heartthrob

Meaning: A very attractive man, often a celebrity; also a heartbeat.

Usage: Informal, used in entertainment and gossip contexts. The heartbeat meaning is rare.

Examples:

• He was the teenage heartthrob of the 1990s.
• The actor became a heartthrob overnight.

Tone: Informal, light, sometimes humorous.

heartland

Meaning: The central region of a country or area, especially one that is important for agriculture or culture.

Usage: Common in geography, politics, and news. Not used in everyday conversation.

Examples:

• The heartland of the country is known for its farms.
• They traveled through the American heartland.

Tone: Neutral, descriptive, often formal.

Verbs That Start With heart

There are very few verbs that start with heart. The most common is hearten.

hearten

Meaning: To give encouragement, to make someone feel more hopeful.

Usage: Hearten is usually used in the passive or as an adjective (heartening). It is slightly formal and common in written English.

Examples:

• The good news heartened the entire team.
• We were heartened by the support from the community.
• Nothing heartens a teacher more than a student’s progress.

Tone: Formal, positive, encouraging.

Comparison Table: heart Words by Part of Speech

Natural Examples in Context

Here are sentences that show how these words sound in real situations.

• After the project failed, the manager sent a heartfelt email to the team, thanking them for their effort.
• It was heartless of him to laugh at her mistake during the meeting.
• The heartening news is that sales have increased by 20 percent this quarter.
• She felt completely heartbroken when she didn’t get the scholarship.
• He has a good heart, even if he sometimes says the wrong thing.
• The heartache of losing a close friend never fully goes away.
• That singer was a heartthrob for teenagers in the early 2000s.
• The heartland of the country relies on agriculture for its economy.
• We were heartened by the positive feedback from our clients.

Common Mistakes With heart Words

English learners often make these errors. Avoid them to sound more natural.

• Mistake: Using heartfelt for casual situations.
  Correct: Use heartfelt only for sincere, emotional contexts. Do not say “I had a heartfelt sandwich.”
• Mistake: Confusing heartless with heartbroken.
  Correct: Heartless describes a cruel person. Heartbroken describes a sad person. “He was heartless” means he was cruel. “He was heartbroken” means he was very sad.
• Mistake: Using hearten in casual conversation.
  Correct: In everyday speech, say “encourage” instead. “The news encouraged me” sounds more natural than “The news heartened me.”
• Mistake: Overusing heartthrob for any attractive person.
  Correct: Heartthrob is mostly for famous people. For a friend, say “very attractive” or “good-looking.”

Better Alternatives and When to Use Them

Sometimes you want a different word to match the tone or context better.

• Instead of heartfelt, you can use sincere (less emotional) or genuine (neutral). Use heartfelt when you want to emphasize deep emotion.
• Instead of heartless, you can use cruel (stronger) or unkind (softer). Use heartless for a dramatic effect.
• Instead of heartening, you can use encouraging (more common in conversation) or promising (for future results).
• Instead of heartbroken, you can use devastated (stronger) or very sad (simpler).
• Instead of hearten, use encourage or cheer up in informal contexts.

Mini Practice: Test Your Understanding

Choose the correct word for each sentence. Answers are below.

1. She wrote a __________ letter of thanks to the donor. (heartless / heartfelt / heartthrob)
2. It was __________ to ignore the homeless man’s request. (heartening / heartless / heartland)
3. The team felt __________ after losing the championship game. (heartbroken / heartthrob / hearten)
4. The positive feedback __________ the staff. (heartened / heartless / heartache)

Answers:

1. heartfelt
2. heartless
3. heartbroken
4. heartened

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is “heart” always a noun?

No. Heart is most often a noun, but it can be used as a verb in very rare cases, such as in informal texting (“I heart this song”). That usage is not standard in formal English.

2. What is the difference between “heartfelt” and “sincere”?

Heartfelt is stronger and more emotional. Sincere is more neutral and can be used in almost any formal context. Use heartfelt for deep gratitude or apology; use sincere for general honesty.

3. Can I use “heartless” in a business email?

It is possible, but it is very strong. Use it only if you want to criticize a decision harshly. In most business writing, unkind or insensitive is safer.

4. Is “heartthrob” still used today?

Yes, but it sounds a little old-fashioned. It is still used in entertainment news. Younger speakers might say “crush” or “celebrity crush” instead.

For more word lists organized by part of speech, visit our Parts of Speech Lists section. If you have questions about how we write our guides, see our Editorial Policy.