heartstring
noun
Did you know?
Heartstring Has a Medical History
Before a love song could tug at your heartstrings, the job was more likely to be accomplished by a surgeon: the word heartstring used to refer to a nerve believed to sustain the heart. You might recognize the word's second syllable in hamstring, which refers to both a group of tendons at the back of the knee and to any of three muscles at the backs of the upper legs. It's also apparent in a rare dialect term for the Achilles tendon: heel string. And in light of these terms, it's not surprising to know that string itself was at one time used independently to refer to bodily cords like tendons and ligaments.
Examples of heartstring in a Sentence
Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
After the news broke, fans and critics alike have raised concerns about what this means for the future of Pixar, whose films have always been regarded as unique in their ability to connect with and tug at the heartstrings of their viewers.
—Braedon Montgomery, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Dogs know how to pull on their owner's heartstrings.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Plus, the scripts try to yank on our heartstrings with some maudlin moments that don’t quite land, including a grim twist for one main character that feels tacked on just to add some emotional stakes.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartstring
Cite this Entry
“Heartstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartstring. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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heartstring
noun
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