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. KroeberExamples 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
The Trading Post Café & Bar is located just off the lobby and is the heart and hearth of the hotel.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Within the first camp, which was preserved because the Romans built a road over it, archaeologists discovered two identical groups of rooms adjacent to a larger one that contained a hearth, according to a press release.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
The great room has cathedral ceilings, a two-sided double-height hearth, and French doors to a stone patio.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Apr. 2026
It’s partitioned by a long, tiled bar along the left wall, situated behind the hearth and its surrounding oval counter and framed, aesthetically, by double Moroccan doors painted in hypnotic geometries.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hearth
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Within the first camp, which was preserved because the Romans built a road over it, archaeologists discovered two identical groups of rooms adjacent to a larger one that contained a hearth, according to a press release.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
The great room has cathedral ceilings, a two-sided double-height hearth, and French doors to a stone patio.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 13 Apr. 2026
It’s partitioned by a long, tiled bar along the left wall, situated behind the hearth and its surrounding oval counter and framed, aesthetically, by double Moroccan doors painted in hypnotic geometries.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hearth
Cite this Entry
“Hearth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hearth. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
