HEARTENING Synonyms: 176 Similar and Opposite Words

heartening 1 of 2

adjective

as in promising

having qualities which inspire hope a heartening visit to the hospital, where the patient was alert and sitting up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in encouraging

making one feel good inside hearing how his students still appreciated him after all those years was heartening to the music teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in favorable

pointing toward a happy outcome the accomplishments of the first day were a heartening start to our renovation of the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

heartening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hearten

as in inspiring

to fill with courage or strength of purpose thinking we were hopelessly lost, we were heartened by the sight of a familiar farmhouse

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 heartening

Adjective

Nvidia's presence in the top 10 performers is especially heartening, considering the leading maker of AI chips has been in a frustrating position all year long . — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 That formula worked for Amazon MGM’s sci-fi dramedy Project Hail Mary earlier this year, another heartening success that was billed as a visual spectacle filmed specifically for IMAX. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Meanwhile, there’s more direct heartening news for beach areas in San Diego and across the state. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction. — Mosi Reeves, VIBE.com, 22 June 2026 Cameras captured the heartening sight on the podium of Peter Bonnington, Hamilton’s former race engineer who now looks after Antonelli, standing in the middle of the two drivers. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 The arc of a wrongful-conviction story bends toward exoneration and release—a flawed but heartening correction of past wrongs. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026 That has not been a heartening process. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026 The most heartening thing about this deeply disturbing moment is seeing how consistently and forcefully Minnesotans of all demographics have been pushing back. — Scott Meslow, The Verge, 19 Jan. 2026

Verb

Library funding survives, narrowly The night proved to be heartening for local library lovers. — Noah Daly august 20, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026 At a time when drama has come to depend on celebrity leads and commercial hype, this bounty of understated excellence is heartening. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 All of the art is heartening—and very much at home. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 18 June 2026 Cases where animals win are always heartening, especially when the animal happens to be the Ukraine’s national bird. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 Still, the current legislative progress in California has to be heartening for the Stop Killing Games movement, which has seen its momentum in the UK stall a bit after a UK Parliament debate on game preservation last November. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026 That’s fascinating and in some ways heartening to a newbie. — Matthew Heimer, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026 The fact that our national media has become increasingly focused on this side of the story is heartening. — Kevin A. Sabet, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026 February 19 – March 20 Naming your options can be heartening today. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartening

Adjective

With Adults, being funny is what matters most, and in that regard, this is a very promising premiere.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Smaller payouts scare off potential investors, meaning promising treatments are often left on a shelf.

— Brad Quick, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of promising

Adjective

While this figure appears to add a bright spot to an otherwise weak employment report, the underlying cause is far from encouraging.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
At safety, Chamarri Conner and Alohi Gilman are the starters, and Jaden Hicks has had an encouraging preseason.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of encouraging

Adjective

Sulfolane has received less favorable assessments under more recent solvent-selection guidance, including concerns around reproductive toxicity.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
That, coupled with a favorable schedule featuring home games against TCU, BYU, Baylor, Arizona State and Iowa State, should help the Knights become bowl-eligible for the first time since the 2023 season.

— Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of favorable

Verb

The Property Masters Guild aims to highlight and elevate the craft of the Property Master by raising awareness, fostering collaboration among craft artisans, educating its members and inspiring future generations of Property Masters.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Deployed as a No 10 and later as a striker, Wissa epitomised all that was good about Newcastle with his energy and drive, leaving a trail of Liverpool players in his wake in the lead-up to the second goal and generally inspiring those around him.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of inspiring

Adjective

Put the cutting in a warm place with bright, indirect light, keep the soil evenly moist, and open the bag once each day to let in fresh air.

— Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
Mystery Men Throw it back to the Y2K era with this 1999 comedy starring a plethora of the era’s brightest comedic talents, including Ben Stiller, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofolo, and Paul Reubens.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of bright

Adjective

Booze, black pepper, and leather accords give the note a sultry, noir bend, while white musks and soft florals transform vanilla into something comforting and cocooning.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
An improbable preparation that somehow manages to be immediately familiar and comforting, this cheeseburger fried rice is a little peek into all the fun going down at Agnes and Sherman in Houston, one of our Best New Restaurants of 2026.

— Nick Wong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of comforting

Adjective

Relatives of people believed trapped in a tunnel at one of several hydropower plants hit in the China-Nepal border floods on Wednesday remain hopeful of positive news.

— Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Lee is hopeful the team will add another player or two or three before the transfer window closes next Wednesday, but Sporting KC is past the point of turning around its season.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of hopeful

Adjective

Demographic experts are cautiously optimistic about the new scheme, which appears to offer more sustained and holistic support for families.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
The 192-mile electric figure is reported as CLTC, which is China's relatively optimistic test cycle.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of optimistic

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heartening

heartens

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Heartening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartening. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of heartening

adjective

verb

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