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
The two exchanged a handshake and pleasantries before San Francisco's win over Atlanta on Sunday.
—
Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
The evening concluded with a celebratory toast and more pleasantries.
—Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
Those transactional elements can be handled automatically, so human interactions can focus more on personal touches, pleasantries and handling any glitches that come up.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Then, as Chiefs receiver Juju Smith-Schuster extended his hand to exchange pleasantries, Branch reached out and struck him in the head, knocking the veteran WR to his knees.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
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
Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
The evening concluded with a celebratory toast and more pleasantries.
—Essence, 14 Oct. 2025
Those transactional elements can be handled automatically, so human interactions can focus more on personal touches, pleasantries and handling any glitches that come up.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Then, as Chiefs receiver Juju Smith-Schuster extended his hand to exchange pleasantries, Branch reached out and struck him in the head, knocking the veteran WR to his knees.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
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
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
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Underneath this Adam Sandler comedy’s goofy jigs and fart jokes is a compilation of emotional horrors as potent as any jump scare.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
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Fans got a kick out of the differing reactions and let the jokes fly.—
Natasha Dye,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The critical test is whether the trade imbalance is reset, and that will take a lot more than a few small gestures of goodwill.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Many carriers may also offer bonus miles, travel credits, and/or an upgrade voucher as gestures of goodwill.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Set in the English countryside, the film uses the classic plot of a lower class criminal working his way up through the hierarchy in order to extract laughs from an ensemble of eccentric aristocrats.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
28 Oct. 2025
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Thanks to an outstanding supporting voice cast that includes Jennifer Coolidge, John Cleese, Jay Leno, Eddie Izzard and Steve Buscemi, Igor is loaded with quirky characters and laughs.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Nash had an unorthodox solution to Goldberg’s giggles.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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To her credit, Shannon shakes off the incipient paranoia and goes hard into the giggles at anything and everyone at the table.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
17 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 30 Oct. 2025.
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