1
as in courtesies
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
his after-dinner speeches usually include the sort of gentle pleasantry that raises a chuckle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pleasantries
Bryson DeChambeau and Tommy Fleetwood got into it on the 15th green, as caddies also began to share pleasantries following Justin Rose lining up a putt.
—
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Lola Young isn’t one for pleasantries.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Food and merchandise are also in the offing The grounds also serve up pleasantries as part of the package of events.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Oregon-Northwestern and USC-Purdue officially kicked off the Big Ten’s conference schedule on Saturday, but things really heat up around the league in Week 4, with most of the nonconference pleasantries over with and the march to Indianapolis in full swing.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Legislators and lobbyists in suits chat with families while a city councilman exchanges first-name pleasantries with constituents, young and old, in line.
—Robin Roenker, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2025
These polite pleasantries waste precious attention.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Alcaraz spread his arms wide, smiled at his team’s box, and dropped his head into Sinner’s shoulder at the net as the pair exchanged pleasantries.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
Trump applauded while the Russian president walked to meet him, shaking hands and giving friendly arm taps while the two exchanged pleasantries before posing for photos.
—Rema Rahman, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Lola Young isn’t one for pleasantries.
—Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Food and merchandise are also in the offing The grounds also serve up pleasantries as part of the package of events.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Oregon-Northwestern and USC-Purdue officially kicked off the Big Ten’s conference schedule on Saturday, but things really heat up around the league in Week 4, with most of the nonconference pleasantries over with and the march to Indianapolis in full swing.
—Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Legislators and lobbyists in suits chat with families while a city councilman exchanges first-name pleasantries with constituents, young and old, in line.
—Robin Roenker, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2025
These polite pleasantries waste precious attention.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Alcaraz spread his arms wide, smiled at his team’s box, and dropped his head into Sinner’s shoulder at the net as the pair exchanged pleasantries.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
Trump applauded while the Russian president walked to meet him, shaking hands and giving friendly arm taps while the two exchanged pleasantries before posing for photos.
—Rema Rahman, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantries
Noun
-
Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By dusk, the men in the lake house—men with wives and girlfriends wisely absent—were cracking jokes about his comely dishevelment.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
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Tell these jokes to your kids before trick-or-treating, around the campfire at a backyard Halloween party, or write them inside cards to share with at school on October 31.—
Fiona Tapp,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the real world, this could look like strengthening a partnership through thoughtful gestures, receiving a windfall of support from family or finding joy in everyday rituals that suddenly feel sacred.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Each leg incorporates six DoF, complemented by additional arm and waist flexibility, allowing Oli to perform complex, ballet-like gestures with balance and precision.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Looking ahead to all of the tomorrows, all the adventures, the laughs, and all of the love.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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In the images, Powers and Destiny posed together lounging on a couch, embracing each other, sharing a few laughs, and staring into each other’s eyes.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The latter’s video focused on her seatmate, whose infectious giggles and wheezing breaths—which one commenter joked sounded like the engine—became the soundtrack to the plane fault.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
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The game encouraged competitive streaks, teamwork, and plenty of giggles, with parents noting it was well constructed, self-contained, and easy to store or bring along to grandma’s house.—
Emily Glover,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Boys in blue training kits gather in pockets of shade and trade wisecracks.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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Nearly every inch of the bar’s narrow interior is plastered with glowing beer logo signs, neon strip lights and posters jeering with bawdy bar jokes and wisecracks.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Perhaps the only thing Gore Vidal enjoyed more than dispensing witticisms—or sipping a Macallan single malt—was being photographed.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
27 Sep. 2025
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Batemen gets a few moving monologues, but Vince’s heavier dose of morbid witticisms aren’t enough to overcome his pervasive selfishness and abominable behavior (nor is a late-arriving revelation about his past).—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantries. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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