heart strings
Tugged emotional chords
Heartstrings are the deepest feelings of love or compassion.
The word appears almost exclusively in the phrase tug at the heartstrings, describing something that evokes strong emotional response—a sad story, a child's plea, a sentimental movie.
The image suggests invisible cords connecting heart to emotion, pulled by what moves us.
Also spelled as two words.
Gentle, caring quality
- poignancyPiercing emotional quality
- tearjerkerEmotionally manipulative entertainment
- touchingEvoking gentle emotion
- maudlinExcessively tearful sentiment
sappy · schmaltz · weepy · romantic · emotional · pathos · melodrama · saccharine
Concern for others' distress
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
- connectionA joining or relation
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
caring · sensitivity · warmth · tenderness · concern · fellow feeling · rapport · solidarity
Stored past experiences
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
- wistfulnessTender sadness for absence
homesickness · bygone · yesteryear · flashback · retrospect · recollection · bittersweet · childhood
Short forceful pull
- pullForce toward oneself
- play onContinue or manipulate
- exploitNotable act or abuse
- guilt tripInducing remorse for leverage
emotional blackmail · crocodile tears · puppeteer · coerce · sway · leverage · calculated · scheming
tenderness
Gentle, caring quality
- poignancyPiercing emotional quality
- tearjerkerEmotionally manipulative entertainment
- touchingEvoking gentle emotion
maudlin · sappy · schmaltz · weepy · romantic · emotional · pathos · melodrama · saccharine · overwrought
compassion
Concern for others' distress
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
- connectionA joining or relation
- understandingMental comprehension of something
kindness · caring · sensitivity · warmth · tenderness · concern · fellow feeling · rapport · solidarity · humanity
memories
Stored past experiences
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- longingIntense, persistent desire
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
wistfulness · homesickness · bygone · yesteryear · flashback · retrospect · recollection · bittersweet · childhood · keepsake
tug
Short forceful pull
guilt trip · emotional blackmail · crocodile tears · puppeteer · coerce · sway · leverage · calculated · scheming · appeal to emotion
heart stringsemotional detachment
Withdrawal from feelings
indifference · apathy · coldness · numbness · dispassion
heart stringspure reason
Intellect independent of experience
head · rationality · intellect · calculation · hard-headed
heart stringsheart of stone
Total lack of compassion
thick skin · emotional armor · iron will · hardness of heart · imperviousness
heart, string, hearts, strings, hearted, heartless, heartfelt, sweetheart, stringed