hearten

verb heart·en \ˈhär-t^ən\

: to cause (someone) to feel more cheerful or hopeful

heart·enedheart·en·ing \ˈhärt-niŋ, ˈhär-t^ən-iŋ\

Full Definition of HEARTEN

transitive verb

: to give heart to : cheer

— heart·en·ing·ly \-niŋ-lē, -t^ən-iŋ-\ adverb

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First Known Use of HEARTEN

1526

Related to HEARTEN

Synonyms: bear up, buck up, buoy (up), cheer (up), chirk (up), embolden, encourage, inspire, inspirit, steel

Antonyms: daunt, discourage, dishearten, dispirit

Synonym Discussion of HEARTEN

encourage, inspirit, hearten, embolden mean to fill with courage or strength of purpose. encourage suggests the raising of one's confidence especially by an external agency <the teacher's praise encouraged the students to greater efforts>. inspirit, somewhat literary, implies instilling life, energy, courage, or vigor into something <patriots inspirited the people to resist>. hearten implies the lifting of dispiritedness or despondency by an infusion of fresh courage or zeal <a hospital patient heartened by good news>. embolden implies the giving of courage sufficient to overcome timidity or reluctance <emboldened by her first success, she tried an even more difficult climb>.