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

Synonyms of half-hearted

• tepid
• neutral
• unenthusiastic
• lukewarm

Examples of half-hearted in a Sentence

He made a halfhearted attempt to contact them.

Recent Examples on the Web

But with backup quarterback Drew Lock in the game, Seattle made only a half-hearted attempt at moving the ball downfield, and instead the second quarter ended with a whimper. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026

There would be criticism of the league’s half-hearted (at best) effort to increase the number of Black coaches. — Will Leitch, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2026

Biden’s support collapsed within his first year, and Kamala Harris’s half-hearted efforts to distance herself from her unpopular boss were too little, too late. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026

All strategic objectives in Iran are failing, while half-hearted support for Ukraine has resulted in a devastating surge in civilian casualties. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for half-hearted

• departed
• halfhearted
• imparted
• kindhearted
• lighthearted
• restarted
• uncharted
• warmhearted
• wholehearted
• brokenhearted
• carted
• charted

Kids Definition

halfhearted

adjective

half·​heart·​ed -ˈhärt-əd 

: lacking spirit or interest

halfhearted applause from the audience

halfheartedly adverb

halfheartedness noun