half-hearted

adjective

half-heart·​ed ˈhaf-ˈhär-təd How to pronounce half-hearted (audio)
ˈhäf-
variants or halfhearted
Synonyms of half-heartednext
: 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

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Examples of half-hearted in a Sentence

He made a halfhearted attempt to contact them.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On the other side of the gym, the group had moved on to half-hearted dumbbell lunges. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026 But Dutton Ranch’s crime components feel half-hearted at first. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 15 May 2026 There has been a half-hearted rule in English spelling to use OW at the end of a word or syllable, and OU everywhere else. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026 Their attempts to destroy the bourgeois family were, like the efforts of Suzanna’s mother and grandmother, ambivalent and half-hearted. — Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for half-hearted

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

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

Rhymes for half-hearted

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Browse Nearby Words

half header
half-hearted
half hitch
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Cite this Entry

“Half-hearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-hearted. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of half-hearted for Spanish Speakers

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