half-hearted
adjective
half-heart·ed
ˈhaf-ˈhär-təd 
ˈhäf-
variants
or halfhearted
: lacking heart, spirit, or interest
a half-hearted effort
halfhearted applause
half-heartedly
adverb
or halfheartedly
half-heartedness
noun
or halfheartedness
Examples of half-hearted in a Sentence
a halfhearted attempt to clean the house before the arrival of the in-laws
Recent Examples on the Web
Don’t bother trying to engage in half-hearted, superficial or shallow conversations.
—
Athena Sobhan, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024
The status quo of half-hearted diplomacy in the Pacific will not suffice at a time when China is ramping up its presence in the region.
—Charles Edel, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024
There are many shows left before Nov. 5, so get ready for a lot of grunting half-hearted Trump voices and Rudolph making a wide range of perplexed expressions.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
Consumers are more discerning than ever and can easily see through half-hearted or ingenuine statements.
—Jennifer Acree, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for half-hearted 
Athena Sobhan, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024
The status quo of half-hearted diplomacy in the Pacific will not suffice at a time when China is ramping up its presence in the region.
—Charles Edel, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024
There are many shows left before Nov. 5, so get ready for a lot of grunting half-hearted Trump voices and Rudolph making a wide range of perplexed expressions.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
Consumers are more discerning than ever and can easily see through half-hearted or ingenuine statements.
—Jennifer Acree, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for half-hearted
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'half-hearted.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near half-hearted
Cite this Entry
“Half-hearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-hearted. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
halfhearted
adjective
half·heart·ed
-ˈhärt-əd
: lacking spirit or interest
halfhearted applause from the audience
halfheartedly
adverb
halfheartedness
noun
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