SKIP TO CONTENT

halfhearted

halfheartedly

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."

Definitions of halfhearted
  1. adjective
    feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
    “a halfhearted effort”
    synonyms: half-hearted, lukewarm, tepid
    unenthusiastic
    not enthusiastic; lacking excitement or ardor
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘halfhearted'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE

Look up halfhearted for the last time

Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.

VocabTrainer - Vocabulary.com's Vocabulary Trainer