adjective

heartened

/ˈhɑːrtənd/ · say it: HAR·tuhnd

made more cheerful or hopeful

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (adjective) made to feel more hopeful, confident, or encouraged

2. (verb) past tense of hearten: to make someone feel more hopeful or confident

Examples

1. She felt heartened by the positive feedback on her project.
2. The good news heartened the whole team.

How to use heartened

Heartened is used to describe a state of feeling encouraged or hopeful, typically after receiving good news or positive feedback. As an adjective, it often follows 'be' or 'feel'; as a past tense verb, it takes a direct object (someone heartens someone). It carries a warmer, more emotional tone than 'encouraged' and suggests a lift in spirits rather than just increased confidence.

Common phrases

heartened by the news
heartened to see
heartened by the response
greatly heartened
heartened by the support

Synonyms

encouraged · emboldened · uplifted · inspired · reassured

Opposites

discouraged · disheartened · dispirited

Word family

hearten (verb) · heartening (adjective) · heartened (adjective/past tense) · dishearten (verb) · disheartened (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'heartened' with 'hardened'; heartened means encouraged, while hardened means made tough or resistant.

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