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Definitions

at heart

ADVERB
in reality
Synonyms
WEAK
at bottom basically deep down fundamentally in essence in spite of appearance inside

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"She's someone who has the club at heart and is not just thinking about dollar signs."

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Jones told MPs these matters were "at heart of the police investigation".

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

For Gomis, addressing the question of dual identity means dealing with "different ways of talking about the same thing at heart".

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Ms. Serpell’s tone is ardent and sometimes spicily polemical, but at heart this is informed, accessible literary analysis that demonstrates that Morrison’s true genius was as a stylist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Their itinerant, artistic lifestyle appealed to him: Moody was a romantic at heart.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng