half measures

[/hæf ˈmɛʒərz/]
noun
meias medidas
1. incomplete or inadequate actions or solutions that fail to fully address a problem
The government's half measures on climate change will not be enough to prevent environmental disaster.
As meias medidas do governo sobre mudanças climáticas não serão suficientes para evitar um desastre ambiental.
2. compromises or halfway solutions that satisfy no one completely
We can't rely on half measures; we need a complete overhaul of the system.
Não podemos confiar em meias medidas; precisamos de uma revisão completa do sistema.
This phrase is commonly used in both American and Brazilian English to express criticism of inadequate governmental, corporate, or personal responses to serious issues. In Brazil, 'meias medidas' carries a similar tone of disapproval, particularly in political discourse and social commentary. The concept reflects a cultural value in both societies of expecting decisive, complete action rather than temporary or superficial fixes.
NYC Slang
wack solutions / band-aid fix
Synonyms / Sinônimos
inadequate solutionscompromise measurestoken effortsinsufficient actionshalfway solutions
Antonyms / Antônimos
comprehensive measurescomplete solutionsdecisive actionfull implementation

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
meias medidas
most common translation, used in formal and informal contexts
Brazil
soluções parciais
alternative, more formal usage in business or academic contexts
Portugal
meias medidas
identical to Brazilian Portuguese; widely understood across Portuguese-speaking countries

Related Words

compromiseinadequateinsufficientincompletetoken gesture

Related Idioms & Phrases

don't do things by halves
go the whole hog
better half
play it safe with half measures
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