halfhearted
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of halfhearted
Explanation
Use the adjective halfhearted to describe something that's unenthusiastic, uninterested, or grudging. A pitcher's halfhearted throw of the baseball isn't too likely to end up being a strike. When you're halfhearted about the book you're reading, you may put it down mid-way through and never pick it up again, and a halfhearted audition for a play isn't likely to earn you a starring role. This noun, sometimes spelled with a hyphen, half-hearted, comes from the idea that if only half your heart is invested in something, you're not very excited about it. In the seventeenth century, the adjective half-headed was also common, meaning "stupid."
Vocabulary lists containing halfhearted
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It dismissed the "halfhearted contention" that the Fed governor had received due process.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
But this was halfhearted on Washington's part and ultimately proved unsuccessful.
From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026
Spilled pencils, overturned books and a crumbled cookie lay strewn about on her bedroom floor, halfhearted attempts to break up the monotony.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
The governor’s press office posted a notice suggesting that Musk’s departures from California were only halfhearted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2024
Mary Lou clapped; it was followed by halfhearted applause by the others.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
