Meaning & use
heart of stone
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
a nature that shows no pity, sympathy, or kindness toward others
Grammar: Used as a countable noun phrase: a person can 'have a heart of stone' or be described as 'someone with a heart of stone'.
Patterns
- have a heart of stone
- with a heart of stone
- someone's heart of stone
She must have a heart of stone to fire him the day his wife died.
He is not cruel, but people say he has a heart of stone because he never cries.
Only someone with a heart of stone could watch that film without tearing up.
Common combinations
- have a heart of stone
- You would have to have a heart of stone to refuse her request.
- a man with a heart of stone
- The judge was described as a man with a heart of stone.
- seem to have a heart of stone
- She seems to have a heart of stone when it comes to money.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cold-hearted
- This adjective describes a person directly, while 'heart of stone' is a noun phrase: 'a cold-hearted boss' vs 'a boss with a heart of stone'.
- unfeeling
- This is more formal and can describe actions as well as people, whereas 'heart of stone' is vivid and usually describes a person's character.
- hard-hearted
- This suggests a lack of pity in a particular situation, but 'heart of stone' suggests a permanent, extreme lack of emotion.
Opposites
Commonly confused: heart of stone or heart of gold?
heart of stone vs heart of gold
This is the opposite phrase: a kind, generous nature. Do not mix them up: a heart of gold is good, a heart of stone is unkind.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'heart of stone' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 1 fits because a heart of stone means no sympathy or kindness. Option 0 contradicts the meaning, option 2 uses the phrase as a physical object, and option 3 treats it as a body part.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “heart of stone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.