THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Take something to heart
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
Think about advice or criticism seriously, often with a strong emotional reaction.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- I took the criticism to heart and worried about it all evening.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?
Think about advice or criticism seriously, often with a strong emotional reaction.
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Take something to heart — Think about advice or criticism seriously, often with a strong emotional reaction.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Take something to heart” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
Think about advice or criticism seriously, often with a strong emotional reaction.
Compare: I took the criticism to heart and worried about it all evening.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when words affect someone deeply. With criticism, it often suggests feeling hurt; with advice, it can suggest paying serious attention.
More examples in context
- She took her mentor’s advice to heart and began asking for feedback earlier.
- Try not to take one careless comment too much to heart.
Usage note
Put the object before “to heart”: “take it to heart”, not “take to heart it”. The expression can involve either hurt or serious consideration, so use context to make the intended sense clear.
A short conversation
A: You still seem upset about that review.
B: I took the comment about my introduction to heart.
A: Let’s look at the useful feedback without judging the whole piece by one line.
One more practice question
Someone takes a harsh comment to heart and feels upset. What has happened?
A. They have paid no attention to the comment.
B. The comment has affected them deeply.
Check your answer
B. In this context, taking it to heart means being emotionally affected.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.