performativity

noun

per·​for·​ma·​tiv·​i·​ty pər-ˌfȯr-mə-ˈti-və-tē 

pə-

: the quality or state of being performative

especially, often disapproving : the state of being made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others)

Why would he not be obsessed with the performativity of social media, of buffing up appearances?

—Suzanne Moore

Examples of performativity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For me, performativity, insecurity, uncertainty, and all of that seemed to be coming together in one single image. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2026

Invoking performativity, people now blithely reject other people’s actions—and, by extension, other people’s claims about their own lives—as fakery made in the service of the show. — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2026

Despite the performativity of these non-fixes, the last ten seasons have featured a more balanced landscape for women. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2026

Suddenly, any type of unironic persona-forward material entered the hall of mirrors of performativity criticism. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2025

Appropriately for an event dedicated to performativity and pure excess, Gaga was named one of the annual ball's co-chairs. — EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025

There’s an eerie connection to Hook’s time, when the growth of the Georgian city changed how people viewed public life and its potential for performativity. — Daniel Seifert, JSTOR Daily, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

performative + -ity

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for performativity

• bioactivity
• commutativity
• cooperativity
• generativity
• hyperactivity
• insensitivity
• interactivity
• overactivity
• retroactivity
• absorptivity
• affectivity
• collectivity