half-hearted

adjective

half-heart·​ed ˈhaf-ˈhär-təd How to pronounce half-hearted (audio)
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

Recent Examples on the Web This day, laden with expectation and excitement, deserves more than a half-hearted card or a generic box of chocolates. Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 So far, post-credits teasers bridging Sony’s spin-offs to Disney’s own continuity via interdimensional travel have been seen as half-hearted and, ultimately, unsuccessful. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 29 Jan. 2024 The chiding between the two plays like a half-hearted version of Taika Waititi snark. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Dec. 2023 No hybrid-shoe drag or half-hearted attempts to traverse iffy terrain here. Isaiah Freeman-Schub, Robb Report, 7 Dec. 2023 Nobody on screen is giving a half-hearted effort or going through the motions. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2023 For their part, Mal and May made half-hearted efforts at percussion. Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023 His half-hearted attempt to apologize on a celebrity talk show only digs him in deeper. Peter Debruge, Variety, 20 Oct. 2023 Trump later Tuesday appeared to criticize the efforts happening in Washington–in what could be read as a half-hearted endorsement of McCarthy. WSJ, 4 Oct. 2023

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of half-hearted was in 1579

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 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

halfhearted

adjective
half·​heart·​ed -ˈhärt-əd How to pronounce halfhearted (audio)
: lacking spirit or interest
halfhearted applause from the audience
halfheartedly adverb
halfheartedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on half-hearted

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