fainthearted
adjective
faint·heart·ed
ˈfānt-ˈhär-təd 
: lacking courage or resolution : timid
faintheartedly
adverb
faintheartedness
noun
Examples of fainthearted in a Sentence
She gave him a fainthearted response.
the sport of river rafting is not for those who are fainthearted
Recent Examples on the Web
Going to the theatre in that period was hardly an entertainment for the fainthearted, and calamity was not confined to the stage.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Breaking down a whole raw chicken is not for the fainthearted, but the results can be mouthwatering.
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 6 July 2025
Reading even a few paragraphs about the testimony at these two NYC trials isn’t for the fainthearted, and men and women recognize that there are some very bad actors who must be held accountable for their actions.
—Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The results are not for the fainthearted, as very thick, dry skin tends to peel off in layers.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 30 May 2024
Even the most fainthearted and tremulous of our fellow citizens—our CEOs—could stick up for free speech without being called Nazi sympathizers.
—WSJ, 23 Apr. 2021
Moreover, restricting the initiative to projects in developed markets is a fainthearted stipulation that will hopefully be swiftly abandoned.
—Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019
Ballet Theater itself is suddenly looking fainthearted and uncoordinated as a theatrical troupe.
—Alastair MacAulay, New York Times, 15 June 2018
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.
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Breaking down a whole raw chicken is not for the fainthearted, but the results can be mouthwatering.
—Sarah Schutte, National Review, 6 July 2025
Reading even a few paragraphs about the testimony at these two NYC trials isn’t for the fainthearted, and men and women recognize that there are some very bad actors who must be held accountable for their actions.
—Karlyn Bowman, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The results are not for the fainthearted, as very thick, dry skin tends to peel off in layers.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, refinery29.com, 30 May 2024
Even the most fainthearted and tremulous of our fellow citizens—our CEOs—could stick up for free speech without being called Nazi sympathizers.
—WSJ, 23 Apr. 2021
Moreover, restricting the initiative to projects in developed markets is a fainthearted stipulation that will hopefully be swiftly abandoned.
—Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2019
Ballet Theater itself is suddenly looking fainthearted and uncoordinated as a theatrical troupe.
—Alastair MacAulay, New York Times, 15 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Fainthearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fainthearted. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fainthearted
adjective
faint·heart·ed
ˈfānt-ˈhärt-əd
: timid
faintheartedly
adverb
faintheartedness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share