Meaning & use
what your heart desires
Last updated
Meanings
phraseidiom
anything a person wants very much, especially something pleasant or enjoyable
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase after verbs like get, have, or want; it can also follow 'whatever' or 'anything'.
Patterns
- get what your heart desires
- have whatever your heart desires
- do what your heart desires
On her birthday she was allowed to order whatever her heart desired from the menu.
After years of saving, he finally bought the little boat his heart desired.
The hotel promises guests anything their hearts desire, from fresh flowers to late breakfasts.
phraseidiomliterary
used to say that someone should follow their own wishes rather than other people's advice
Grammar: Often appears in advice or encouragement, sometimes after 'follow' or 'do'.
Patterns
- follow what your heart desires
- do what your heart desires
Her parents told her to follow what her heart desired and study art.
He gave up the safe job to do what his heart desired and open a bakery.
Common combinations
- get what your heart desires
- With this card you can get what your heart desires at half price.
- whatever your heart desires
- Whatever your heart desires, the chef will try to make it.
- anything your heart desires
- She was free to choose anything her heart desired.
- follow what your heart desires
- Instead of copying his friends, he followed what his heart desired.
- give someone what their heart desires
- The charity tries to give sick children what their hearts desire.
Synonyms and how they differ
- whatever you want
- Plainer and more neutral; use it in ordinary speech when the poetic tone of the idiom is not needed.
- your heart's desire
- A noun phrase with nearly the same meaning, often used in the singular for one special wish.
- wish
- Names one specific thing you hope for, whereas this idiom covers anything a person longs for.
Word family
- heart's desire noun
- the one thing someone wants most of all
Commonly confused: what your heart desires or what your heart wants?
what your heart desires vs what your heart wants
A similar-sounding phrase, but 'what your heart desires' is the fixed idiom; 'wants' is possible in speech but sounds less idiomatic.
Practice
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom keeps the plural verb form 'desires' in the fixed phrase 'what her heart desired'. Option 1 drops the -s, option 2 uses a progressive that does not fit the fixed idiom, and option 3 adds an unnecessary object after 'desired'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “what your heart desires”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.