What does faintheartedly mean?
Faintheartedly means timidly, fearfully, or in a manner that shows a lack of courage. It is especially associated with hesitation, retreat, or reluctance to act despite a need for resolve. The word can be more strongly disapproving than timidly: a person may be described as acting faintheartedly when their fear prevents even a modest effort, whereas a merely shy person might also behave timidly. Although not restricted to one variety of English, faintheartedly has a formal, literary tone and is now less common in everyday speech. It is especially useful when a writer wants to characterize not only an absence of bravery but also the hesitant manner in which fear appears. The related adjective fainthearted describes a person or creature lacking courage, while the noun faintheartedness names the quality itself.
adverbIn a fainthearted manner; timidly or cowardly.
- In a timid, fearful, or cowardly manner.
"She faintheartedly asked to be excused from the presentation."
"At the first sign of danger, the soldiers faintheartedly withdrew."
"He faintheartedly suggested postponing the discussion until everyone felt more comfortable."
Faintheartedly captures the difference between refusing to act and being unable to muster the courage to act.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does faintheartedly come from?
The adverb faintheartedly was formed with the suffix -ly from the adjective fainthearted. That adjective combines faint, in an older sense of weak or lacking strength, with hearted, meaning having heart or courage; it dates from early modern English. The related noun faintheartedness follows the ordinary English pattern of forming a noun from the corresponding adjective.
How faintheartedly is actually used
This is a literary and somewhat old-fashioned word. It may suggest cowardice or an unwillingness to face difficulty, not merely shyness.
Easily confused with faintheartedly
Faintheartedly is the adverb meaning “in a fainthearted manner,” whereas fainthearted is the adjective describing a timid or cowardly person.