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

“I was a cowboy at heart even then, as I am to this day.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

He and Albarn are also artists at heart and in nature.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

And longer term, we think he is still a hawk at heart, if inflation turns out less benign than he expects.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Grim always starts it off because, like he says, he's really a kid at heart and he can't stand to wait.

From "Freak The Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick