as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
a softhearted person who never hesitates to help anyone in trouble
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Recent Examples of softhearted
Ben Lewis Doherty, playing a boy named Sam whose life is upended by Robbie, is the show’s greatest innocent, a softhearted moppet who warns deer to be careful when crossing the street.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Becker shows that proponents of Brexit talked surprisingly little about the past and tried, in fact, to hang nostalgia’s toxic millstone around the necks of Remainers, accusing them of a softhearted attachment to the now sclerotic dream of European unity.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
The struggle to save the farm deepens the partnership between Craig, softhearted but realistic, and Jillian, the persistent Jiminy Cricket on his shoulder.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2023
Ford received a standing ovation last spring at the Cannes Film Festival, and his gruff but softhearted demeanor works.
—Dan Lybarger, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2023
How to adopt: Interested adopters can meet softhearted Summer at the Arizona Humane Society’s South Mountain location.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 28 Apr. 2023
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Becker shows that proponents of Brexit talked surprisingly little about the past and tried, in fact, to hang nostalgia’s toxic millstone around the necks of Remainers, accusing them of a softhearted attachment to the now sclerotic dream of European unity.
—Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
The struggle to save the farm deepens the partnership between Craig, softhearted but realistic, and Jillian, the persistent Jiminy Cricket on his shoulder.
—James Poniewozik, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2023
Ford received a standing ovation last spring at the Cannes Film Festival, and his gruff but softhearted demeanor works.
—Dan Lybarger, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2023
How to adopt: Interested adopters can meet softhearted Summer at the Arizona Humane Society’s South Mountain location.
—The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 28 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for softhearted
Adjective
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We are honored to spotlight a community that not only faced an unprecedented disaster but emerged with a stronger, more compassionate spirit.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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TikTokers were quick to praise Coco for his empathy and Cruz for raising such a compassionate pup.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch.—
Matthew Redmond,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
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All of that dirt wouldn’t entirely dampen the sound of your screaming, so there’s always the chance some benevolent gravedigger could save you.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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People in his community of Park City, Kansas — a small town outside Wichita — remembered Rader as a quiet, kind, and rule-following man.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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Such a brilliant actor, a kind heart and full of graciousness with a shining independent spirit.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Having spent his entire life in the shadow of Cody (Brandon Tyler Moore), the far more athletic twin brother primed for combat by their sadistic dad, John (Blake Burt) cuts a far more sympathetic figure.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
10 Oct. 2025
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Linda hustles the two of them to a nearby motel whose only employees are a surly young goth attendant (a glowering Ivy Wolk) and a sympathetic, mildly flirty super (A$AP Rocky, laidback and breezy).—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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By pure coincidence, Ryder was present at the humane society when Sabally, one of his favorite players, was adopting her dog earlier this season.—
Ben Pickman,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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And that education helped me, over time, to understand my mother, the world that had produced her, to have compassion for her, in the most humane ways.—
Kevin Powell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Softhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/softhearted. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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