herzen: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to neutral
Quick answer
What does “herzen” mean?
to make someone feel more confident or cheerful.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to make someone feel more confident or cheerful
To encourage, inspire hope, or lift someone's spirits; to instill courage or determination in a person or group.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. Slight preference for passive forms ('We were heartened by...') in more formal British writing.
Connotations
Slightly more formal or literary than everyday synonyms like 'encourage'. Used similarly in both varieties.
Frequency
Low to medium frequency in both varieties, more common in written English (news, reports) than in casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “herzen” in a Sentence
[Someone] heartens [someone/something][Someone/Some group] is heartened by [something]It heartened [someone] to [verb]...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “herzen” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The manager's praise heartened the new recruits.
- We were greatly heartened by the public's generous response to the appeal.
American English
- The coach's speech heartened the team before the big game.
- Investors were heartened to see the company's strong earnings report.
adverb
British English
- She smiled hearteningly at the nervous speaker.
American English
- He nodded hearteningly, signaling his full support.
adjective
British English
- It was a heartening display of solidarity from the local community.
- The latest figures provide a heartening prospect for the economy.
American English
- The heartening news spread quickly through the town.
- It's heartening to know so many people volunteered.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in reports to describe positive market signals or employee morale: 'Management was heartened by the quarterly results.'
Academic
Found in social sciences or commentary to describe public sentiment or historical morale: 'The resistance was heartened by the news of allied support.'
Everyday
Less common in casual chat. Used for significant positive developments: 'We were heartened by all the community support.'
Technical
Rare in hard technical fields. Possible in psychology or motivational contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “herzen”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “herzen”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “herzen”
- Using it intransitively (e.g., 'He heartened' without an object).
- Confusing spelling with 'heating' or 'hearing'.
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'cheered up' or 'encouraged' is more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not extremely common in everyday casual conversation but is regularly used in written English, such as news articles, reports, and literature, to describe encouragement or raised morale.
'Encourage' is broader and more common. 'Hearten' specifically focuses on lifting someone's spirits or giving them emotional courage, often in a face of difficulty. It can sound slightly more formal or literary.
No, 'hearten' is inherently positive. Its direct negative counterpart is 'dishearten'.
It is primarily a transitive verb. Its present participle ('heartening') and past participle ('heartened') are very commonly used as adjectives.
to make someone feel more confident or cheerful.
Herzen is usually formal to neutral in register.
Herzen: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɑː.tən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑːr.t̬ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(not a core idiom word; often used in phrases like 'a heartening sight/sign/development')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: To give HEART to someone → to HEARTen them.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL STATE IS PHYSICAL POSITION / STRENGTH (to lift someone's spirits, to fortify someone's resolve).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'hearten' in the sentence: 'The positive reviews heartened the anxious author.'?