lip service
noun
: an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds
—usually used with pay
Examples of lip service in a Sentence
She paid lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.
So far all we've gotten from him is lip service.
Recent Examples on the Web
This may make for a good talking point, but as written, the limits only pay lip service to national security and would do nothing to move manufacturing jobs onshore.
—
Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Travelers are also increasingly seeking sustainable practices and expect hotels to pay more than lip service to environmental factors.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Rather than pledging to crack down on the people blatantly breaking the law, Newsom’s early reaction had revolved around attacking Trump, paying only brief lip service to condemning the violence.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 12 June 2025
Based on all my conversations with the company and its customers, Nutanix seems to be one of those vendors that genuinely goes beyond lip service to co-engineer partner solutions that leverage the technologies of both companies for the benefit of customers.
—Matt Kimball, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lip service
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Travelers are also increasingly seeking sustainable practices and expect hotels to pay more than lip service to environmental factors.
—Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Rather than pledging to crack down on the people blatantly breaking the law, Newsom’s early reaction had revolved around attacking Trump, paying only brief lip service to condemning the violence.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 12 June 2025
Based on all my conversations with the company and its customers, Nutanix seems to be one of those vendors that genuinely goes beyond lip service to co-engineer partner solutions that leverage the technologies of both companies for the benefit of customers.
—Matt Kimball, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lip service
Cite this Entry
“Lip service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lip%20service. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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