Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective cursory contrast with its synonyms?

The words shallow and superficial are common synonyms of cursory. While all three words mean "lacking in depth or solidity," cursory suggests a lack of thoroughness or a neglect of details.

gave the letter only a cursory reading

When would shallow be a good substitute for cursory?

The words shallow and cursory can be used in similar contexts, but shallow is more generally derogatory in implying lack of depth in knowledge, reasoning, emotions, or character.

a light, shallow, and frivolous review

When is it sensible to use superficial instead of cursory?

The synonyms superficial and cursory are sometimes interchangeable, but superficial implies a concern only with surface aspects or obvious features.

a superficial analysis of the problem

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cursory
Adjective
  • And the hurried pace of the deportations has ignored due process, experts and advocates say.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 10 June 2025
  • The stereotype of the hurried retail investor making split-second decisions based on little more than a hunch has been confirmed by groundbreaking academic research.
    Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Stewart’s return partly answered the question of who would host The Daily Show, a question that had been asked for well over a year after Noah’s hasty departure.
    Peter White, Deadline, 6 June 2025
  • And the White House thinks now is a good time to drop everything and do a hasty bilateral trade deal? Trade agreements are wildly complicated affairs in the best of times, taking several months, even years.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Later in the day, Bonner and Brooks’ relative were getting food at a restaurant when someone shot and killed Bonner in a still-unresolved drive-by.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
  • Hawai’i vet Jason Antoon, who played the three-season CBS drama’s Ernie, recently shared a drive-by video of the Hawaii Film Studio in Honolulu, a 7.5-acre lot at the foot of Diamond Head crater that most recently was home to the NCIS spinoff and CBS’ Magnum P.I. reboot.
    Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • Crisp, curly hair indicates a hasty, somewhat impetuous and rash character.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
  • Ellie is rash and impulsive; Dina is lovestruck; Jesse is loyal and selfless.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • Reddit users were quick to share their love and admiration for Stevie.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
  • Noting some Italian heritage, her take was pretty quick.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • In that light, the sudden uptick in volatility is not a surprise.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 18 June 2025
  • Parents recall toddler's medical emergency that led to rare diagnosis Stephanie and Kris Thomas of Illinois jumped into action when their 2-year-old experienced sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • These groups are targeted because they are either perceived as trusting, impulsive or unfamiliar with how digital scams operate.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025
  • Similarly to Libra, there are many components to her vibe that juxtapose each other, making her level-headed and impulsive.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 7 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cursory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cursory. Accessed 22 Jun. 2025.

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