bleeding heart

1 of 2

noun

1

: a garden plant (Lamprocapnos spectabilis synonym Dicentra spectabilis) of the poppy family with racemes of usually deep pink or white drooping heart-shaped flowers

broadly : any of several related plants (genus Dicentra)

2

disparaging : a person who shows extravagant sympathy especially for an object of alleged persecution

… he spoke scornfully of "the hotshot do-gooders," those he equates with hypocritical limousine liberals or … Pollyannish bleeding hearts …

—Jason Horowitz

bleeding-heart

2 of 2

adjective

bleed·​ing-heart ˈblē-diŋ-ˈhärt 

: feeling or showing excessive or extravagant sympathy especially for an object of alleged persecution

—used as a term of disparagement for people with politically liberal opinions

… was often described as … a bleeding-heart liberal because he lent his name to so many left-wing groups.

—Patricia Bosworth

Examples of bleeding heart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After the new Twilight edition featured an apple blossom motif, and it was announced that New Moon — which will hit shelves in October— bears a bleeding heart, Eclipse will feature the moon flower, Ipomoea alba. — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026

Perennials like asters, catmint, bleeding hearts, and daffodils are strong contenders for fall planting. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 5 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Season four course-corrected somewhat, but its hard embrace of a bleeding-heart sentimentality around found families and the power of food smacked of self-importance. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 June 2026

Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, this immersive storytelling experience is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age; a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters all dying to tell their story. — William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bleeding heart

• counterpart
• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart

Kids Definition

bleeding heart

noun

1

: a garden plant having drooping spikes of deep pink or white heart-shaped flowers

2

: a person who always shows a great amount of sympathy to victims of misfortune or persecution

—used to express disparagement