half-hearted

half-hearted — adjective

1. carried out or offered with very little energy, care, or real interest, usually

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

carried out or offered with very little energy, care, or real interest, usually because you do not truly want to do it or do not believe in it fully

Example

Theo made a half-hearted attempt to tidy his room before his parents arrived.

collocation: half-hearted attempt

Priya's half-hearted apology did not convince the team that she regretted the mistake.

collocation: half-hearted apology

Common collocations
  • half-hearted attempt
  • half-hearted effort
  • half-hearted apology
  • half-hearted response
  • half-hearted support
  • half-hearted about something
Synonyms
  • lukewarm

    very similar meaning, often describes a response or reaction that lacks warmth

  • unenthusiastic

    more direct; stronger focus on the absence of positive feeling

  • tepid

    more formal and less common; suggests a mildly negative reaction rather than total lack of effort

  • perfunctory

    more formal; emphasizes that something is done as a routine duty without real care

Antonyms
  • wholehearted

    direct opposite — done with full energy and sincere enthusiasm

  • enthusiastic

    everyday opposite; shows eager interest and positive energy

Grammar Patterns

half-hearted + noun

be half-hearted about + noun/gerund

Common Mistakes

He gave a half-baked wave goodbye.
He gave a half-hearted wave goodbye.
'half-baked' means poorly planned or foolish, not lacking enthusiasm.
She half-hearted tried to finish the report.
She made a half-hearted attempt to finish the report.
'half-hearted' is an adjective, not an adverb. Use 'half-heartedly' for the adverb form.
I was half-hearted from the project after a year.
I was half-hearted about the project after a year.
the correct preposition is 'about', not 'from'.

Word family

  • half-heartedly
    adverbB2
  • half-heartedness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe a lack of positive energy, but they differ in emphasis and register. Half-hearted is the most everyday term among them and focuses on the effort put into an action — a half-hearted try is one where you do not really push yourself. Lukewarm is common for describing reactions or support: a lukewarm review is neither strongly negative nor strongly positive. Unenthusiastic is more direct and neutral, often used in workplace or formal settings ('an unenthusiastic response to the proposal'). Tepid is a slightly literary alternative to lukewarm, carrying a faintly disappointed tone. Perfunctory is the most formal of the group and stresses that the action is merely going through the motions: a perfunctory handshake is quick, automatic, and impersonal. In conversation, 'half-hearted' and 'lukewarm' are the most natural choices; 'perfunctory' belongs in writing. For example: 'His half-hearted attempt at cooking produced a burnt omelette,' versus 'Her perfunctory nod told me she had not really listened.'

half-hearted ↗lukewarmunenthusiastictepidperfunctory

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • rather half-hearted
  • somewhat half-hearted
  • decidedly half-hearted

Phrases

  • a half-hearted attempt at something
  • half-hearted about doing something

Prepositions

  • half-hearted about

Etymology

English

Half-hearted was formed in English by combining 'half' (partially) with 'hearted' (from 'heart', the seat of feeling and courage). The compound first appeared in the late 1600s to describe someone whose courage or spirit was only half-present. By the 1800s it had settled into its modern meaning of doing something without real enthusiasm or commitment.