half-cocked

Definition of half-cockednext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of half-cocked His paranoia, played with clumsy charm by a mustachioed and bleary-eyed Leonardo DiCaprio, is half-cocked and somewhat comical. David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025 That cycle has lasted decades, a past strewn with half-cocked plans, bankruptcies, struggling businesses, recriminations, and a neighborhood that refuses to give up on itself or surrender its personality. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025 And yet, all of a sudden, there was the commotion typical of when a manager walks into a room deep in a stadium as reporters rush to put their phones on the desk and stumble awkwardly, laptops half-cocked, back to their seats. James Horncastle, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024 The way reason permeated the front offices has bled onto the field, and the players are more reasonable, more rational and not likely to go off half-cocked. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 25 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for half-cocked
Adjective
  • Not because of a convoluted plot or half-baked characters.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The idea might not be as half-baked as some people think.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Time will tell what these partners are able to do with regard to safety, but releasing it to the general public would certainly have been ill-advised and dangerous.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • However, while willy-nilly scrubbing is ill-advised, there is more than one way to clean stainless steel.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Director James Cameron and The Walt Disney Company have been sued for unauthorized use of an Indigenous actress’ likeness without her knowledge and consent.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 May 2026
  • Since the City Council gave the Carmen Building historic status in July 2024, the property has faced more than 25 city code complaints about its condition and unauthorized access.
    Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • In 2024, for example, more than 700 newborns died from spontaneous bleeding in their brains, which could have been complicated by liver disease or prematurity.
    Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
  • The little details are also covered—ice water delivered at regular intervals by beach staff, as well as complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and snorkel gear, making a spontaneous adventure easy to come by.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • As a downhill run defender, Winters is instinctive and decisive.
    Nick Harris April 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Apr. 2026
  • That means today’s managers and Gen Z workers are, in many cases, operating from entirely different instinctive playbooks.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Half-cocked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/half-cocked. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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