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
Republicans said the fines should be clearer to avoid half-hearted enforcement.
—
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025
Despite his presence at Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 41, Scott’s reported half-hearted efforts to improve his in-ring skills in preparation for a blockbuster celebrity tag team match caused WWE to turn elsewhere for celebrity involvement at SummerSlam.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
While en route to one of their two destinations, Sean Lockwood’s acting insecurities get the better of him, and Josephine makes a half-hearted attempt to compliment their scene work that day.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
Instead, this production tries to hide its rough edges and half-hearted staging with a callow appeal to nostalgia for something that isn’t even very old yet.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for half-hearted
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Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025
Despite his presence at Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 41, Scott’s reported half-hearted efforts to improve his in-ring skills in preparation for a blockbuster celebrity tag team match caused WWE to turn elsewhere for celebrity involvement at SummerSlam.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
While en route to one of their two destinations, Sean Lockwood’s acting insecurities get the better of him, and Josephine makes a half-hearted attempt to compliment their scene work that day.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
Instead, this production tries to hide its rough edges and half-hearted staging with a callow appeal to nostalgia for something that isn’t even very old yet.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 July 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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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