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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 perfunctory
Long-time Capitol observers were aghast that DeSantis stepped down from the House speaker’s rostrum without even a perfunctory handshake with Perez, who has the power to reject everything DeSantis wants in his last year in office.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Coming back from a commercial, Göransson was simply announced as the winner in a brief and perfunctory manner.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 12 Jan. 2026
Afterward, the night felt perfunctory.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Jan. 2026
Even if kids are involved in the process, the bags still run the risk of feeling more perfunctory than personal, as though the primary goal is to check an item off the to-do list.
—Mandy Len Catron, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Coming back from a commercial, Göransson was simply announced as the winner in a brief and perfunctory manner.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 12 Jan. 2026
Afterward, the night felt perfunctory.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Jan. 2026
Even if kids are involved in the process, the bags still run the risk of feeling more perfunctory than personal, as though the primary goal is to check an item off the to-do list.
—Mandy Len Catron, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfunctory
Adjective
-
What makes the shoe so appealing is its nonchalant, slip-on-and-go versatility.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2026
-
In the campaign, Waterhouse and Ramirez are shown in looks that channel Saint-Tropez’s nonchalant chic, styled by Emmanuelle Alt.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Plus, the casual dining setup makes life easy with little ones in tow.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
-
In fact, even the full-size shuffleboard tables in the $100-$500 range aren’t built to last for more than a few years, which should still be enough for the casual/non-competitive level.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perfunctory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfunctory. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
