i Register
In some senses, half-baked is marked as figuratively, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.
half-baked
/ˌhæfˈbeɪkt/
adj 4
Collocations
5ADJ.
needed, still
VERB + HALF-BAKED
cake, don't, dreams, run
HALF-BAKED + NOUN
genius, idea, ideas, job
PREP.
in, than, up, with
ADV.
only
Definitions
adj
1
Incomplete.
The guy had some half-baked idea for getting rich in the stock market.
Though Jevons's theory was more than half-baked, it needed more time in the oven, since he forgot to calculate that poor harvests in Asia would hit England only after a time lag.
2
Incomplete.
"You're cheap. Cheap education, cheap ideas, a half-baked bloody nobody."
She came skipping to me just now, clapping her little hands and bleating about how very, very happy she was, dear Mrs Travers. The silly young geezer. I nearly conked her one with my trowel. I'd always thought her half-baked, but now I think they didn't even put her in the oven.
3
Mildly under the influence (of alcohol).
If you need to talk to John tonight, try to catch him early in the evening, while he's still only half-baked.
4
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: Partially cooked by heating in an oven, either as an accidental outcome or as a work in process.
Near-synonyms: underbaked, dough-baked (dated)
The casserole was half-baked, but I choked it down anyway to be polite.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
The guy had some half-baked idea for getting rich in the stock market.
Wiktionary02
Though Jevons's theory was more than half-baked, it needed more time in the oven, since he forgot to calculate that poor harvests in Asia would hit England only after a time lag.
Wiktionary03
A Cambridgeshire man recently gave notice with a message piped on top of a passion cake. A half-baked idea, or a generous parting gift for the office?
Wiktionary04
This sweet potato is only half-baked and is still crunchy.
Tatoeba · #32698105
One of the characters in the novel dreams up a half-baked plan for robbing a bank.
Tatoeba · #76417006
Don't do a half-baked job.
Tatoeba · #2265841Usage Notes
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