Phrase guide

heart and soul

adv · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adv

Meaning 1

With the utmost earnestness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The core of a thing; the most essential or important part.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • The heart and soul of any democracy is its electorate.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crux, gist, bowels, sum, brass tacks, core, essence, drift, guts, gravamen, heart, heart and soul, heartstring, heartstrings, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, moral of the story, nitty-gritty, nub, nuts and bolts, pith, punctum saliens, quintessence, soul, spirit, stuff, substance, tenor

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Passion; true commitment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • She put her heart and soul into the project.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

with complete faith

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she was with him heart and soul

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: body and soul

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the gist of the prosecutor's argument
  • the heart and soul of the Republican Party
  • the nub of the story

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kernel, substance, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: content, cognitive content, mental object

Narrower terms: bare bones, hypostasis, quiddity, haecceity, quintessence, stuff

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.