The heart is more than a muscle—it’s a symbol, a story, a spark. In language, it carries kindness, sorrow, hope, and truth. Idioms for heart bring those emotions to life: clear, simple, and full of rhythm.
Each phrase opens a small scene you can feel—whether it’s the warmth of love or the weight of goodbye. These idioms help us express what words alone can’t.
Best Idioms for Heart
1. Heart of Gold
Meaning: Someone with a very kind and generous nature.
In a Sentence:
She has a heart of gold, always helping others.
People with a heart of gold bring light into any room.
Other Ways to Say: Kind-hearted, Compassionate soul, Gentle spirit
2. All Heart
Meaning: A person who feels deeply and is full of compassion.
In a Sentence:
He’s all heart, always caring for his friends.
You can tell she’s all heart by the way she treats others.
Other Ways to Say: Deeply empathetic, Warm-hearted, Emotionally rich
3. From the Bottom of My Heart
Meaning: Expressing something with full sincerity and emotion.
In a Sentence:
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
She apologized from the bottom of her heart.
Other Ways to Say: Truly, With all my heart, Wholeheartedly
4. Heart in the Right Place
Meaning: Having good intentions, even if actions fall short.
In a Sentence:
His heart’s in the right place, even if he messed up.
You could tell her heart was in the right place during the project.
Other Ways to Say: Well-meaning, Pure intentioned, Good-natured
5. Follow Your Heart
Meaning: Make decisions based on your emotions or passion.
In a Sentence:
Follow your heart when choosing a career.
She followed her heart and moved abroad.
Other Ways to Say: Trust your instincts, Listen to your soul, Be guided by feeling
6. Have Heart
Meaning: Show courage or compassion in tough situations.
In a Sentence:
You’ve got to have heart to help strangers.
He showed he had heart by standing up for her.
Other Ways to Say: Be brave, Be kind, Show compassion
7. A Big Heart
Meaning: Being generous, loving, and open to others.
In a Sentence:
She has a big heart, always giving to charity.
With his big heart, he welcomed everyone in.
Other Ways to Say: Generous soul, Giving spirit, Loving nature
8. After One’s Own Heart
Meaning: Having similar tastes or personality to someone else.
In a Sentence:
He’s a man after my own heart, loving poetry.
She’s a woman after my own heart with her love of coffee.
Other Ways to Say: Like-minded, Kindred spirit, A perfect match
9. Close to Your Heart
Meaning: Something personally meaningful and cherished.
In a Sentence:
This project is close to her heart.
He spoke about issues close to his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Dear to you, Deeply valued, Personally special
10. At Heart
Meaning: Describing someone’s true or deep nature.
In a Sentence:
She’s a dreamer at heart, despite her job.
He may seem serious, but he’s kind at heart.
Other Ways to Say: Deep down, Truly, In their core
11. A Heart of Stone
Meaning: Emotionless or cold, showing no sympathy.
In a Sentence:
He has a heart of stone, ignoring her tears.
She remained with a heart of stone throughout the argument.
Other Ways to Say: Cold-hearted, Unfeeling, Emotionless
12. Break Someone’s Heart
Meaning: To deeply hurt or disappoint someone emotionally.
In a Sentence:
It broke her heart to hear the news.
He didn’t mean to break her heart, but he did.
Other Ways to Say: Shatter someone emotionally, Cause heartbreak, Devastate
13. Bleeding Heart
Meaning: A person who is overly sympathetic or emotional.
In a Sentence:
She’s a bleeding heart for stray animals.
His bleeding heart nature makes him defend everyone.
Other Ways to Say: Overly compassionate, Soft-hearted, Tender-hearted
14. Heart Misses a Beat
Meaning: A sudden emotional jolt caused by shock, fear, or excitement.
In a Sentence:
My heart missed a beat when he proposed.
Her heart missed a beat when the door creaked open.
Other Ways to Say: Momentarily stunned, Surprised, Emotionally jolted
15. Pour One’s Heart Out
Meaning: To share one’s deepest emotions or thoughts openly.
In a Sentence:
She poured her heart out about her struggles.
He poured his heart out in the letter.
Other Ways to Say: Open up, Confide deeply, Reveal emotions
Related Post: 50 Best Idioms for Anger and Frustration
16. Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Meaning: To show your emotions openly and transparently.
In a Sentence:
He wears his heart on his sleeve, always emotional.
She’s the type who wears her heart on her sleeve.
Other Ways to Say: Emotionally open, Transparent, Vulnerable
17. Didn’t Have the Heart
Meaning: Unable to do something because it would hurt someone.
In a Sentence:
I didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth.
He didn’t have the heart to say goodbye.
Other Ways to Say: Too kind to hurt, Reluctant to cause pain, Soft-hearted
18. Heart in Your Mouth
Meaning: Extreme anxiety or fear, usually sudden.
In a Sentence:
My heart was in my mouth during the storm.
She had her heart in her mouth while waiting for the result.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, Anxious, Frozen in fear
19. Break Your Heart
Meaning: To feel emotionally crushed, often by compassion or empathy.
In a Sentence:
It’ll break your heart to see the abandoned puppy.
That story broke my heart.
Other Ways to Say: Devastate emotionally, Deeply move, Crush your feelings
20. Heavy Heart
Meaning: A deep feeling of sadness or sorrow.
In a Sentence:
She left with a heavy heart after the farewell.
His heavy heart weighed him down all week.
Other Ways to Say: Grieving, Sad, Emotionally burdened
21. Set One’s Heart on Something
Meaning: To strongly desire or aim to achieve something.
In a Sentence:
She set her heart on becoming a doctor.
He has set his heart on studying abroad.
Other Ways to Say: Aim for, Long for, Deeply desire
22. Change of Heart
Meaning: A change in feelings or decision, often suddenly.
In a Sentence:
He had a change of heart about moving away.
She experienced a change of heart after talking to him.
Other Ways to Say: Reconsider, Shift in feelings, New perspective
23. The Heart of the Matter
Meaning: The central or most important issue.
In a Sentence:
Let’s get to the heart of the matter in this discussion.
The heart of the matter is trust, not money.
Other Ways to Say: Core issue, Main point, Central concern
24. Eat Your Heart Out
Meaning: Used humorously to boast or provoke envy.
In a Sentence:
Eat your heart out; my new car’s amazing!
He posted his travel photos saying, “Eat your heart out!”
Other Ways to Say: Boast playfully, Show off, Flaunt
25. Heart Set On
Meaning: Firmly committed or determined to get something.
In a Sentence:
His heart is set on winning the competition.
She has her heart set on that scholarship.
Other Ways to Say: Determined, Focused, Intent
26. Put Your Heart Into
Meaning: To dedicate great effort and emotion to something.
In a Sentence:
She put her heart into planning the event.
You can tell he put his heart into that painting.
Other Ways to Say: Give your all, Commit fully, Work passionately
27. Heart and Soul
Meaning: Total dedication and emotional investment.
In a Sentence:
He poured his heart and soul into the project.
She sings with heart and soul every time.
Other Ways to Say: Wholeheartedly, Completely devoted, Fully Committed
28. Take Heart
Meaning: To gain courage or hope in a tough situation.
In a Sentence:
Take heart; things will get better soon.
She took heart after hearing the encouraging words.
Other Ways to Say: Be encouraged, Stay strong, Find hope
29. Lose Heart
Meaning: To become discouraged or give up hope.
In a Sentence:
Don’t lose heart; you’re almost there!
He lost heart after several failures.
Other Ways to Say: Feel defeated, Give up, Feel hopeless
30. Have Your Heart In
Meaning: To be deeply invested or passionate about something.
In a Sentence:
She has her heart in teaching children.
You can tell his heart’s in the community work.
Other Ways to Say: Passionate about, Fully engaged in, Deeply committed
31. By Heart
Meaning: From memory, with complete recall.
In a Sentence:
She learned the poem by heart for the recital.
He knows the multiplication table by heart.
Other Ways to Say: Memorized, Off by heart, Instantly recalled
32. Know By Heart
Meaning: To know something very well and be able to recite or perform it easily.
In a Sentence:
He knows the song lyrics by heart.
I know the route by heart now.
Other Ways to Say: Fully memorized, Instinctively remembered, Deeply familiar
33. Take to Heart
Meaning: To internalize or be personally affected by something.
In a Sentence:
She took his advice to heart and improved.
Don’t take those harsh words to heart.
Other Ways to Say: Reflect on deeply, Be affected by, Internalize
34. Engraved on Your Heart
Meaning: Remembered forever, emotionally meaningful.
In a Sentence:
Her kind words are engraved on my heart.
That farewell moment is engraved on his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Etched forever, Deeply remembered, Spiritually lasting
35. In Your Heart of Hearts
Meaning: In your most honest or deepest feelings.
In a Sentence:
In her heart of hearts, she knew he was right.
He denied it, but in his heart of hearts, he cared.
Other Ways to Say: Deep down, Truthfully, Secretly known
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Eyes That Reveal Emotion
36. Etched in Your Heart
Meaning: Marked in memory with strong emotional impact.
In a Sentence:
That moment is etched in my heart forever.
Her smile is etched in his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Permanently remembered, Emotionally embedded, Fixed in memory
37. Burned into Your Heart
Meaning: Deeply and painfully remembered, often negative.
In a Sentence:
His betrayal was burned into her heart.
That day is burned into my heart forever.
Other Ways to Say: Scorched into memory, Hard to forget, Deep emotional scar
38. Hold Dear to Your Heart
Meaning: To deeply value or cherish something or someone.
In a Sentence:
She holds her family dear to her heart.
He holds those childhood memories close to his heart.
Other Ways to Say: Treasure, Keep close, Cherish
39. Locked in Your Heart
Meaning: A private memory or emotion kept hidden.
In a Sentence:
Her dreams are locked in her heart.
That secret is locked in my heart forever.
Other Ways to Say: Hidden, Guarded, Deeply personal
40. Seared in Your Heart
Meaning: A memory or emotion burned into your mind due to intensity.
In a Sentence:
That tragedy is seared in his heart.
Her final words are seared into my heart.
Other Ways to Say: Branded in memory, Haunting, Permanently marked
41. Cross Your Heart
Meaning: A sincere promise or vow.
In a Sentence:
Cross your heart, you won’t tell anyone!
I cross my heart—I’m telling the truth.
Other Ways to Say: Swear honestly, Promise sincerely, Give your word
42. Heart on Fire
Meaning: Filled with intense emotion, passion, or excitement.
In a Sentence:
Her heart was on fire during the performance.
He spoke with a heart on fire about justice.
Other Ways to Say: Passionate, Burning with desire, Deeply moved
43. Heart in Your Throat
Meaning: Extremely anxious or fearful, often due to suspense.
In a Sentence:
My heart was in my throat during the rollercoaster.
She had her heart in her throat waiting for the results.
Other Ways to Say: Terrified, On the edge, Frozen with fear
44. Warm the Cockles of Your Heart
Meaning: To make someone feel deeply happy or comforted.
In a Sentence:
Her kind words warmed the cockles of my heart.
That story really warmed the cockles of my heart.
Other Ways to Say: Uplift, Touch emotionally, Bring joy
45. Heart Skips a Beat
Meaning: A sudden jolt of excitement or fear.
In a Sentence:
His smile made her heart skip a beat.
My heart skipped a beat when the lights went out.
Other Ways to Say: Surprised, Flushed with emotion, Startled
46. Tug at the Heartstrings
Meaning: To evoke strong emotions, especially sympathy or sadness.
In a Sentence:
The movie tugged at our heartstrings.
That orphan story really tugged at my heartstrings.
Other Ways to Say: Touch deeply, Stir emotion, Move to tears
47. Heart-to-Heart
Meaning: An open and sincere conversation, usually emotional.
In a Sentence:
We had a heart-to-heart about our feelings.
She shared a heart-to-heart with her best friend.
Other Ways to Say: Honest talk, Deep conversation, Personal exchange
48. Steal Someone’s Heart
Meaning: To make someone fall in love with you.
In a Sentence:
His charm stole her heart instantly.
She stole his heart with just one look.
Other Ways to Say: Win over, Captivate, Enchant
49. Heart Pounds Like a Drum
Meaning: To feel one’s heart beating fast due to nerves or excitement.
In a Sentence:
Her heart pounded like a drum before the speech.
His heart was pounding like a drum in the silence.
Other Ways to Say: Rapid heartbeat, Intense nerves, Racing heart
50. Open Your Heart
Meaning: To allow yourself to express or receive emotions freely.
In a Sentence:
Open your heart and let love in.
He opened his heart during the conversation.
Other Ways to Say: Be vulnerable, Share feelings, Let love in
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Heart
- She’s always giving to others and never asking for anything in return—she truly has a __________.
- After losing the job, he walked away with a __________.
- Even though he seems rough, his __________; he always means well.
- I studied that poem until I knew it __________.
- When she saw the abandoned puppy, it really tugged at her __________.
- Before the performance, his __________ like a drum.
- I couldn’t tell her the truth—I just didn’t have the __________.
- He really __________ into planning this surprise party—it shows in every detail.
- Their conversation turned into a true __________, full of honesty and tears.
- I know she’s strict, but deep down, she’s all __________.
Answer
- heart of gold
- heavy heart
- heart’s in the right place
- by heart
- heartstrings
- heart pounded
- heart
- put his heart
- heart-to-heart
- heart
Conclusion
Idioms for heart don’t just express emotion—they paint it. They turn love into gold, sadness into stone, and hope into fire. Some speak with warmth, others with ache, but all speak with honesty. Using these idioms is like letting your heart speak in pictures—softly, clearly, and in a way that lingers.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
