as in tepid
showing little or no interest or enthusiasm
a halfhearted attempt to clean the house before the arrival of the in-laws
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Recent Examples of halfhearted
The closest Alex and Tess get to a custody battle is a halfhearted chat about who gets the armoire.
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Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Musical theater loves a go-getter, and halfhearted irony just can’t stand up to this much zazz.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
He was used to students skipping the readings or making a halfhearted attempt.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
At times, Beijing has taken harsh measures toward North Korea—including temporarily suspending oil shipments, restricting Chinese tourism, and applying financial sanctions to the North—although such efforts have typically been short-lived and halfhearted.
—Shuxian Luo, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for halfhearted
Adjective
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Miami, one of the league’s most tepid offensive teams last season, entered the game leading the league in first quarter scoring, at just over 34 per game.—
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Trump, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his first term, said scheduling issues prevented a meeting, although North Korea has so far appeared tepid.—
Adjective
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The long-sleeve polo sweater has elegant pearl buttons that pop against the sweater’s neutral color.—
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Bold prints and vibrant colors, think leopard platforms or colorful faux-fur heels, are the easiest way to inject personality and turn even the most neutral outfit into a head-turner.—
Adjective
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Cracker Barrel statement doesn't satisfy naysayers Reactions to the announcement were largely unenthusiastic, with many fans accusing the chain of ignoring their concerns and calling for a return to the old brand design.—
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There's only so much one can glean from the preseason, but performance reviews for Maye have been unenthusiastic at best.—
Adjective
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This commitment marks a dramatic shift from Chicago’s lukewarm pursuit last February, when the Ricketts family ownership group authorized team president Jed Hoyer to offer Bregman a four-year, $115 million contract.—
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Drain the water one more time, then rinse the scarf out thoroughly under the faucet with lukewarm or cool water.—
Cite this Entry
“Halfhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/halfhearted. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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