half-hearted effort
noun phraseUK /ˌhɑːfˈhɑːtɪd ˈefət/
US /ˌhæfˈhɑːrtɪd ˈefərt/
A half-hearted effort is when you try to do something but you do not really care much about it.
He made a half-hearted effort to clean his room, so toys were still all over the floor.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Doing a job without putting in real energy or care.
Her half-hearted effort on the project showed in the messy results.
3. Trying something only a little bit, not fully.
He gave a half-hearted effort at the race and stopped after one lap.
4. Showing little excitement or commitment when helping.
The half-hearted effort from the team meant the garden stayed full of weeds.