1
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
a heartening visit to the hospital, where the patient was alert and sitting up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraging
making one feel good inside
hearing how his students still appreciated him after all those years was heartening to the music teacher
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in favorable
pointing toward a happy outcome
the accomplishments of the first day were a heartening start to our renovation of the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in inspiring
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
thinking we were hopelessly lost, we were heartened by the sight of a familiar farmhouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartening
Mosi Reeves,
VIBE.com,
22 June 2026
The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
19 June 2026
Cameras captured the heartening sight on the podium of Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s former race engineer who now looks after Antonelli, standing in the middle of the two drivers.
—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
The arc of a wrongful-conviction story bends toward exoneration and release—a flawed but heartening correction of past wrongs.
—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
That has not been a heartening process.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
The most heartening thing about this deeply disturbing moment is seeing how consistently and forcefully Minnesotans of all demographics have been pushing back.
—
Scott Meslow,
The Verge,
19 Jan. 2026
Yet the five-part series, named after Fitzgerald’s club, is more heartening than dour.
—
Benjamin Cannon,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
What's particularly heartening is the number of Republican voters calling for such protections.
—
Michael Kleinman,
Time,
22 Nov. 2025
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
18 June 2026
Cases where animals win are always heartening, especially when the animal happens to be the Ukraine’s national bird.
—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Still, the current legislative progress in California has to be heartening for the Stop Killing Games movement, which has seen its momentum in the UK stall a bit after a UK Parliament debate on game preservation last November.
—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
That’s fascinating and in some ways heartening to a newbie.
—
Matthew Heimer,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
The fact that our national media has become increasingly focused on this side of the story is heartening.
—
Kevin A. Sabet,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
But representation, particularly these days, can be a radical act, and there’s something heartening at the sight of the Kim family enjoying their turn in the mainstream spotlight.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Naming your options can be heartening today.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
February 19 – March 20 Naming your options can be heartening today.
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
—
Mosi Reeves,
VIBE.com,
22 June 2026
The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
19 June 2026
Cameras captured the heartening sight on the podium of Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s former race engineer who now looks after Antonelli, standing in the middle of the two drivers.
—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
The arc of a wrongful-conviction story bends toward exoneration and release—a flawed but heartening correction of past wrongs.
—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
That has not been a heartening process.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Jan. 2026
The most heartening thing about this deeply disturbing moment is seeing how consistently and forcefully Minnesotans of all demographics have been pushing back.
—
Scott Meslow,
The Verge,
19 Jan. 2026
Yet the five-part series, named after Fitzgerald’s club, is more heartening than dour.
—
Benjamin Cannon,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
What's particularly heartening is the number of Republican voters calling for such protections.
—
Michael Kleinman,
Time,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
All of the art is heartening—and very much at home.
—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
18 June 2026
Cases where animals win are always heartening, especially when the animal happens to be the Ukraine’s national bird.
—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Still, the current legislative progress in California has to be heartening for the Stop Killing Games movement, which has seen its momentum in the UK stall a bit after a UK Parliament debate on game preservation last November.
—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
That’s fascinating and in some ways heartening to a newbie.
—
Matthew Heimer,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
The fact that our national media has become increasingly focused on this side of the story is heartening.
—
Kevin A. Sabet,
STAT,
1 Apr. 2026
But representation, particularly these days, can be a radical act, and there’s something heartening at the sight of the Kim family enjoying their turn in the mainstream spotlight.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Naming your options can be heartening today.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
February 19 – March 20 Naming your options can be heartening today.
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartening
Adjective
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Methane is widely regarded as one of the most promising fuels for reusable rockets and future interplanetary missions.
-
But since train-and-pray programs are unlikely to close the construction talent gap, three other initiatives are more promising.
Adjective
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That means encouraging activities that benefit from proximity, such as planning meetings, architecture discussions, design reviews and complex problem-solving.
-
Some encouraging signals suggest the will to close the funding gap may exist.
Adjective
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That combination of clear skies, dry air and terrain can produce dramatic overnight lows in the 20s and 30s — and in especially favorable setups, even colder readings in localized spots like the one near Kirk, Oregon.
-
Similarly, Sullivan and Hafley appear to have favorable view about Rodriguez’s ability to wear the green dot.
Verb
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As leaders, our role is to invest the lessons of the past into what will be, inspiring history-minded citizens everywhere.
-
Just having around a 13-year former MLB pitcher should be inspiring to players next season.
Adjective
-
But plenty of these bright red and crisp white shirts belong to Panama fans.
-
The prospects for Chip’s Seeds continue to be bright, too.
Adjective
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Sora is all about cooking to preserve memories, especially those of his late mother, believing food should be both comforting and refined.
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One of the daily specials, a creamy risotto accented with a bold red pepper puree and blackened shrimp, caught my eye and satisfied my cravings for something comforting.
Adjective
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Yet for all its honesty about that dislocation, the film remains remarkably hopeful.
-
The official did not sound particularly hopeful.
Adjective
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By the end of the episode, there is reason to feel optimistic, and not just because Jimmy may have found a solution to his and the restaurant’s financial problems.
-
The work is making sure the assumptions underneath them are honest rather than inherited from an optimistic seller.
Cite this Entry
“Heartening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartening. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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