tenderhearted

adjective

ˈten-dər-ˌhär-təd How to pronounce tenderhearted (audio)
Definition of tenderheartednext
1
as in affectionate
feeling or showing love a tenderhearted new mother

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others a tenderhearted offer of help for the victims of the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tenderhearted Baker also cast Russian actor Yura Borisov as a tenderhearted henchman. — Mandalit Del Barco, NPR, 2 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenderhearted
  1. affectionate
  2. compassionate
  3. loving
  4. kind
  5. adoring
  6. benevolent
  7. thoughtful
  8. sympathetic
Adjective
  • Her drawing may, like theirs, court a deliberate awkwardness, but the effect is usually less mordant, even affectionate.
    — Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Julie Bowen‘s Claire, Mitch’s sister, and her husband, Ty Burrell‘s Phil Dunphy, were the most affectionate of the show’s main couples.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of affectionate
Adjective
  • Libra September 23 – October 22 The routine that keeps draining you may need a more compassionate rhythm.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The vaccine is being used under a compassionate-use program, which allows a medical product to be used in a serious disease situation even though it has not been specifically approved for that particular use.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of compassionate
Adjective
  • These folks include my sister, two brothers and a beloved SIL, all who’ve been a loving part of our 41-year-old’s life since birth.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Jay Baruchel plays Carter, with Laurence Leboeuf as his steadfastly loving wife, Gloria.
    — Carole Horst, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of loving
Adjective
  • Swapping dirty fingernails for loose shotgun shells, Abrams carves Bryan from the same gnarled sense of desperation — but gives the character’s spirit a kinder shade overall.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Behind a thick column, lurking in the shadows, a kind looking man with an Irish brogue quietly summoned me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of kind
Adjective
  • Mom and daughter share adoring glances at an event to celebrate International Women's Day in London.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The Patriots’ pass coverage without Christian Gonzalez, their atrocious inside linebacker play and roller-coaster special teams, which give any adoring fan a heart attack at a moment’s notice.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of adoring
Adjective
  • The Musk Myth How Hollywood burnished the entrepreneur’s image as a benevolent genius.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Stülpnagel drops in, makes vague, benevolent pronouncements, and asks Frank to hide little notes for fellow anti-Hitler plotters.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of benevolent
Adjective
  • Could thoughtful architecture, practical living spaces, durable materials and useful amenities be delivered without pushing homes into the highest end of the market?
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • If leaders distinguish between thoughtful and careless risks, people can move boldly without lowering the bar.
    — Aleksandr Yampolskiy, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • The entire cast is well chosen, with nice turns also from Katherine Waterston as the somewhat sympathetic Countess, Jonny Lee Miller as Mayor Walworth, and Sky Yang as Scribe, among others.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, gathering in sympathetic support outside a courthouse will not fix anything.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sympathetic

Browse Nearby Words

tenderfoot
tenderhearted
tenderheartedness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tenderhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenderhearted. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of patina

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All