as in nonchalant
having or showing a lack of interest or concern
the violinist delivered a perfunctory performance that displayed none of the passion and warmth he was once known for
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Recent Examples of perfunctory
But the show’s engagement with this material now often feels perfunctory, more interested in displaying cleverness or swagger than in advancing character.
—
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
However, despite a 2021 Caltrans policy essentially mandating pedestrian, bike and transit elements in every project that’s not a freeway, those changes can be perfunctory or even nonexistent.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
Many felt Thibodeau, who was the Knicks' head coach for the previous five seasons, was stuck in the NBA of the 1990s with his slowdown offense and refusal to give bench players more than a perfunctory amount of playing time.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
However, despite a 2021 Caltrans policy essentially mandating pedestrian, bike and transit elements in every project that’s not a freeway, those changes can be perfunctory or even nonexistent.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 13 Nov. 2025
Many felt Thibodeau, who was the Knicks' head coach for the previous five seasons, was stuck in the NBA of the 1990s with his slowdown offense and refusal to give bench players more than a perfunctory amount of playing time.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfunctory
Adjective
-
Petite and low-slung, the armless silhouette and oversized pillow cushions feel nonchalant but not sloppy, and can easily bring some dynamic energy to more formal living room seating layouts.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
22 Jan. 2026
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Her nonchalant, soft-glam is so perfectly mesmerizing, my TikTok and social media feeds are flooded with tutorials trying to re-create her signature style.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The restaurant employs roughly 80 people and has long been known for its casual atmosphere and accessibility in a town increasingly defined by high-end shops and restaurants.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Marvel's first series for Disney+ proved to be a home run, for long-term MCU fans and casual viewers alike.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perfunctory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfunctory. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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