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
He made a halfhearted attempt to contact them.
Recent Examples on the Web
Just enjoy the Clintons making a half-hearted attempt to learn about clowning from someone who knew better than anyone else on earth.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
But Talarico’s half-hearted gestures to winning are about 50 percentage points more heart than his opponent has put into the enterprise.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
What once was a half-hearted all-star football game few cared to watch is now a 7-on-7flag football game even fewer care about.
—Greg Cote
february 3, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
In fact, that same guy is back for seconds, and — in a failing that feels unprecedented in the history of Cameron’s filmography — his inevitable demise lands with a half-hearted whimper.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for half-hearted
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Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
But Talarico’s half-hearted gestures to winning are about 50 percentage points more heart than his opponent has put into the enterprise.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
What once was a half-hearted all-star football game few cared to watch is now a 7-on-7flag football game even fewer care about.
—Greg Cote
february 3, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
In fact, that same guy is back for seconds, and — in a failing that feels unprecedented in the history of Cameron’s filmography — his inevitable demise lands with a half-hearted whimper.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for half-hearted
Cite this Entry
“Half-hearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-hearted. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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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