half-heartedly
4
4.3
- adverb
- /ˌhæfˈhɑːrtɪdli/
:
sin entusiasmo
- David half-heartedly watches Reagan's speech on a nearby television, lazily sipping from his martini.
- nods half-heartedly
- half-heartedly tried
- smiled half-heartedly
But you act at haphazard and half heartedly.
- But you act at haphazard and half heartedly.
Examples
-
My parents half-heartedly reported his ups and downs to me.
Fiction book (2000) -
Ramon sits on the floor, upset, half-heartedly building with Legos, while his parents argue in the kitchen.
Fiction book (1999) -
Because you go into it one hundred percent, you see, it's not something you go into half-heartedly.
Academic text (2007) -
I half-heartedly wished he had because that meant there might be hope for me.
Fiction book (2000) -
I complain about songs I don't like and only half-heartedly participate the way that I should.
Academic text (2003) -
My father pleads half-heartedly with me to stay for supper, but I decline.
Fiction book (1995) -
Instead, she smiled half-heartedly around at them and waited for instructions.
Fiction book (1996) -
And so if you're half heartedly doing something and you don't give enough time, it's not worth it.
-
The man's wife turns over in the bed and she nods half-heartedly when he asks if she would like coffee.
Fiction book (1999) -
She only prepared for the presentation half-heartedly, which showed in her lack of enthusiasm.
Synonyms
11
6.5
Done only partly and without full effort
10
3.2
With little feeling or energy
4
4.0
Showing no interest or care
3
4.8
In a way that shows little interest or energy
1
7.4
In a way that shows little interest
1
5.6
In a way that shows little interest or energy
1
9.5
In a lazy, careless way with little interest
1
6.7
Slowly and without energy
In a way that shows no energy or interest
In a way that shows only mild interest
Antonyms
How Enthusiastic
57
4.6
37
3.5
4
4.3
1
5.6
1
7.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
half-heartedly = half-hearted (transparent) = half + heart + ed + ly
The adverb is formed by adding '-ly' to the clearly compositional adjective 'half-hearted', so the meaning is directly derived.
Etymology
Half-heartedly comes from the parts half ('partly') and heart ('feeling' or 'energy'), with -ly turning it into an adverb; think of having 'half a heart' when you do something. So, to act half-heartedly is to do it only partly and without real enthusiasm or commitment.