as in tepid
showing little or no interest or enthusiasm
a halfhearted attempt to clean the house before the arrival of the in-laws
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Recent Examples of halfhearted
He was used to students skipping the readings or making a halfhearted attempt.
—
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
At times, Beijing has taken harsh measures toward North Korea—including temporarily suspending oil shipments, restricting Chinese tourism, and applying financial sanctions to the North—although such efforts have typically been short-lived and halfhearted.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
At times, Beijing has taken harsh measures toward North Korea—including temporarily suspending oil shipments, restricting Chinese tourism, and applying financial sanctions to the North—although such efforts have typically been short-lived and halfhearted.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for halfhearted
Adjective
-
Use tepid water, not cold, to water your orchid.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
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It was met with a tepid response by his colleagues, however, who cited its potential to further burden a struggling commercial sector.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Quince Italian Leather Horsebit Loafer The leather loafers come in three neutral colors, including black, tan, and white, and each features the same horsebit double-ring and gold bar on the front that’s so similar to the design of Gucci’s pair.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Keep your back flat against the wall with your shoulders back and your head in a neutral position.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Cracker Barrel statement doesn't satisfy naysayers Reactions to the announcement were largely unenthusiastic, with many fans accusing the chain of ignoring their concerns and calling for a return to the old brand design.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
26 Aug. 2025
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There's only so much one can glean from the preseason, but performance reviews for Maye have been unenthusiastic at best.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Allow the oatmeal to cool to a lukewarm temperature before eating.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
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Place three cups of lukewarm or room temp water into your pot.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Halfhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/halfhearted. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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