as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
your essays require more than a cursory effort at proofreading
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Recent Examples of cursory
Instead, the board was limited to a cursory review of 13th Floor’s plan, in partnership with Italy’s Cipriani family, to replace the historic structures with an ultra-luxury, 17-story Casa Cipriani condo, hotel and private club.
—
Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
That review can be cursory (does your tax return match the data that the IRS has on file?) or a bit more sophisticated (does your tax return make sense based on other data, like your historic filing patterns?).
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Speaking at the White House last week, Mr. Musk asserted without providing evidence that a cursory examination of the Social Security Administration found that people listed in its systems as being 150 years old were receiving benefits.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Since 2001, the net effect of the state-building mission in Afghanistan has been the emergence of a strong Afghan army and a weak Afghan state, creating an imbalance that should worry anyone with a cursory knowledge of history or political theory.
—Paul D. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2014
See All Example Sentences for cursory
Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
That review can be cursory (does your tax return match the data that the IRS has on file?) or a bit more sophisticated (does your tax return make sense based on other data, like your historic filing patterns?).
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Speaking at the White House last week, Mr. Musk asserted without providing evidence that a cursory examination of the Social Security Administration found that people listed in its systems as being 150 years old were receiving benefits.
—Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Since 2001, the net effect of the state-building mission in Afghanistan has been the emergence of a strong Afghan army and a weak Afghan state, creating an imbalance that should worry anyone with a cursory knowledge of history or political theory.
—Paul D. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2014
See All Example Sentences for cursory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cursory
Adjective
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Yet in spite of its rather hurried origins, it’s gone on to become a General Motors success story in the quarter-century since it was created.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
17 June 2025
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And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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The Democrats also spoke of the need to protect U.S. personnel and civilians in the region, cautioning against a hasty escalation that could endanger American lives.—
Amanda Castro
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
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Crisp, curly hair indicates a hasty, somewhat impetuous and rash character.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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While in his second year with the Broncos, Williams was killed on New Year’s Day in 2007, in a drive-by shooting by Willie Clark, who was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison plus 1,152 years.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 June 2025
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Officers believe the man - who has not yet been identified by police - was killed in a drive-by shooting, with an unknown person firing a weapon at his car from their own moving car.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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In Ron DeSantis’ Florida, there’s no room for rash criticism of that policy.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2025
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The Dodgers stormed back once again from a deficit, this time at home at Dodger Stadium, scoring four runs in the sixth inning to knock off the Yankees, 8-5, in the first of a three-game set that’ll draw more rash reactions than are probably warranted.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 June 2025
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By 1977, the Trans Am’s power had diminished significantly compared to vehicles from the high-output era that came to a quick close following the 1973 oil crisis, one that took the wind out of performance.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Talks with different countries are ongoing, but are subject to sudden changes in direction.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
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Her husband had always had a soft spot for yams and was glad for the sudden bounty.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Written and directed by documentarian Brian Tetsuro Ivie (Emanuel) in his narrative directorial debut, the film tells the story of an impulsive young woman and a reclusive older man who launch on a poignant cross‑country road trip.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
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Unfortunately, impulsive, inventory-optimization metric chasing often soothes symptoms while elevating strategic risk.—
Noah Barsky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cursory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cursory. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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