half-assed
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: half-arsed
Meaning · English
Poorly or incompetently done; desultory.
Register: slang, vulgar
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Near-synonym: halfhearted
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “half-assed” mean?
Poorly or incompetently done; desultory.
Is “half-assed” formal or informal?
half-assed is generally slang, vulgar.