Large-hearted
adj.kind, thoughtfulliterary
What it means
Remarkably generous, compassionate, and slow to judge others narrowly.
Reach for it when praising broad-minded kindness that includes forgiveness or openhanded help
The large-hearted captain praised both crews after the disputed finish.
Choose between these
7- everyday
warm informal praise for broad kindness fits
not when Big-hearted is more conversational and may emphasize emotion over judgment.
- warm
releasing resentment is the central act
not when Forgiving may coexist with stinginess or narrow judgment elsewhere.
- warm
giving time, resources, or credit is the established quality
not when Generous does not necessarily include tolerance or forgiveness.
- professional
sensitivity to suffering motivates the response
not when Compassion does not by itself imply generosity toward rivals.
- formal
a person in authority intends and provides good
not when Benevolent can sound paternalistic or distant.
- formal
someone treats a rival or offender nobly after having power
not when Magnanimous is situational and more elevated than a generally large-hearted nature.
- literary
material generosity is the main evidence
not when Openhanded is too narrow when forgiveness is what matters.
Said against
3- mean-spirited
- petty
- hardhearted
It naturally appears in
3- large-hearted gesture
Inviting the defeated finalist to speak was a large-hearted gesture.
- large-hearted response
Her large-hearted response turned criticism into a useful conversation.
- large-hearted person
A large-hearted person can remain generous while holding clear boundaries.
Where this comes from
- merriam-webster, adjective, single sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.