playing on someone's heartstrings

A form of play on someone's heartstrings — To produce a strong emotional effect on someone, especially of compassion, love or sadness.

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of play on someone's heartstrings
Cite this entry
APA

playing on someone's heartstrings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/playing%20on%20someone's%20heartstrings

MLA

“playing on someone's heartstrings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/playing%20on%20someone's%20heartstrings. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “playing on someone's heartstrings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/playing%20on%20someone's%20heartstrings.

Source: playing on someone's heartstrings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.