halfhearted
[haf-hahr-tid, hahf-]
- having or showing little enthusiasm: a halfhearted attempt to work.
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Origin of halfhearted
Synonyms
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
perfunctorytepidlistlesslukewarmlacklusterapatheticcoolimpassiveindifferentirresoluteneutralpassivespiritlesstameunenthusiasticuninterestedExamples from the Web for halfhearted
Contemporary Examples
Obama, the halfhearted visitor, had his face clinched in a frozen smile.
The result is a series of halfhearted reforms by old men in camouflage.
He gave a halfhearted, widely panned speech on the night he finished a distant third in New Hampshire.
The United States will issue a halfhearted rebuke and some useless words about “deploring the deaths” that occurred on the ships.
She spelled “recalcitrance,” then “pernicious,” and after a halfhearted debate it was obvious that none of the three had a clue.
Historical Examples
The cow, shaking her head in a halfhearted defiance, followed.
Lonesome LandB. M. Bower
A halfhearted effort was made to harness her up to "Elizabeth," but she flatly declined to answer to the appellation.
A Romance of Billy-Goat HillAlice Hegan Rice
We stood against them; were halfhearted, and were beaten; and then we petted them, and bit by bit our privileges were torn away.
Beauchamp's Career, CompleteGeorge Meredith
The scene of the morning recurred to my mind, and my halfhearted effort to prevent him from accompanying us.
Parkhurst BoysTalbot Baines Reed
The result in the way of incompetent and halfhearted teaching we all know.
Some War-time LessonsFrederick P. (Frederick Paul) Keppel