halfhearted

[ haf-hahr-tid, hahf- ]

adjective

1. having or showing little enthusiasm:

   a halfhearted attempt to work.

   Synonyms: perfunctory, cool, cold, uninterested, indifferent

   Antonyms: enthusiastic

Other Words From

• halfhearted·ly adverb
• halfhearted·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of halfhearted¹

First recorded in 1605–15; half + heart + -ed ³

Example Sentences

But the filmmakers only halfheartedly commit to exploring these emotions, reducing her feelings to a plot twist inserted to supply a bit of conflict.

From Los Angeles Times

A few brief, halfhearted laughs gave way to stale air, where the jest hung heavily as the group took mental stock of my presence.

From Salon

The governor’s press office posted a notice suggesting that Musk’s departures from California were only halfhearted.

From Los Angeles Times

Samir took a few halfhearted steps in chase, but the camel surprised everyone with its sudden vigor.

From Literature

All these filmmakers’ needy, importunate wooing of their writers — and their eventual dickering over script credit — makes their courtship of actual women such as Candice Bergen or Amy Irving look halfhearted by comparison.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• lackluster
• listless
• lukewarm
• perfunctory
• tepid