half-assed

adjective

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\ ˈhaf-ˈast

, ˈhäf-ˈäst \

variants: or less commonly half-ass \ ˈhaf-ˈas

, ˈhäf-ˈäs \

Definition of half-assed

1 slang, often vulgar : lacking significance, adequacy, or completeness … a half-assed attempt at generative semantics.— James D. McCawley Note how they want and get full credit for every little half-ass act of generosity they perform.— George Garrett Several jets were indeed clogged, and it took about five minutes to do a half-assed job of cleaning them out, good enough to get them through until tomorrow and a more thorough cleaning.— Richard Russo

2 slang, often vulgar : lacking intelligence, character, or effectiveness … said that the Administration had no intention of allowing "a bunch of half-assed people to send foreigners into combat."— Seymour M. Hersh … had been beaten up by every half-assed bully all through his miserable childhood …— Joseph Wambaugh

Other Words from half-assed

half-assed or less commonly half-ass adverb, slang, often vulgar

It takes most of the day to get the job finished, and we work long after I think we ought to have called it finished, but my father's a perfectionist, and we can't do anything half-assed… — Stephen Stark He missed the days when her toenails were half-ass painted, done while they sat together on the couch and watched sitcoms … — Thelma Adams

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