1
a
: a brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace
b
: the floor of a fireplace
also
: fireplace
c
: the lowest section of a furnace
especially
: the section of a furnace on which the ore or metal is exposed to the flame or heat
2
: home
longed for the comforts of hearth and home
3
: a vital or creative center
the central hearth of occidental civilization—
A. L. Kroeber
A. L. KroeberSynonyms
Examples of hearth in a Sentence
They swept the ashes from the hearth.
all were welcome, friends and strangers alike, to their humble hearth
Recent Examples on the Web
All that remained was the center of Structure 10, and there, in the weak morning light, was the hearth where the cow skull had been placed upside down.
—Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
The hearth is built with a cast iron box, which elevates the wood logs.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
The hot bowl, on the other hand, serves as the symbolic hearth for our back garden, which, like so many other American yards and gardens, became a gathering place for safe, socially distanced entertaining during the pandemic.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Nov. 2024
The halo of the golden plate, evoking the Virgin Mary, as well as the cat on the hearth behind him, emphasize his domesticity.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hearth 
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Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
The hearth is built with a cast iron box, which elevates the wood logs.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
The hot bowl, on the other hand, serves as the symbolic hearth for our back garden, which, like so many other American yards and gardens, became a gathering place for safe, socially distanced entertaining during the pandemic.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Nov. 2024
The halo of the golden plate, evoking the Virgin Mary, as well as the cat on the hearth behind him, emphasize his domesticity.
—Natalie Kinkade, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hearth
Dictionary Entries Near hearth
Cite this Entry
“Hearth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearth. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hearth
noun1
a
: the area in front of a fireplace
b
: the floor of a fireplace
c
: the lowest section of a blast furnace
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