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
Further, a separate gesture from De Paul that appeared antagonistic toward those supporters went uncaptured, as did Messi’s post-game maneuver to round up De Paul and Suarez, keeping them away explicitly from La Familia’s side of the stadium during post-game pleasantries.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
While most were silent, the few who traded muted pleasantries hushed as the homeowners of the Silver Court Trailer Park commenced their meeting.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
The two fellow Arkansas natives exchanged pleasantries for about three minutes before heading to lunch at the Cowboys’ in-house restaurant.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
After Frankel stuffed Stacey on a point-blank shot from the slot due to a Boston turnover, Stacey engaged in pleasantries with a pile of Fleet sweaters in front of the blue paint.
—
Jason Cooke,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
The All-Star walked from the end of the bench to near midcourt to flag down his coach and remind Bickerstaff that the Detroit Pistons had no interest in exchanging postgame pleasantries with the Charlotte Hornets after their 118-100 blowout win.
—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Flagg and James exchanged pleasantries before and after the game, shaking hands twice on the court.
—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Apr. 2026
Despite the intensity on the court, Staley and Auriemma have typically exchanged public pleasantries, complimenting each others' successes and importance to the women's game.
—
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
Note that the service isn't particularly happy, helpful, or welcoming, but who has time for pleasantries when you're slammed all day?
—
Cnt Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
While most were silent, the few who traded muted pleasantries hushed as the homeowners of the Silver Court Trailer Park commenced their meeting.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
The two fellow Arkansas natives exchanged pleasantries for about three minutes before heading to lunch at the Cowboys’ in-house restaurant.
—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
After Frankel stuffed Stacey on a point-blank shot from the slot due to a Boston turnover, Stacey engaged in pleasantries with a pile of Fleet sweaters in front of the blue paint.
—
Jason Cooke,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
The All-Star walked from the end of the bench to near midcourt to flag down his coach and remind Bickerstaff that the Detroit Pistons had no interest in exchanging postgame pleasantries with the Charlotte Hornets after their 118-100 blowout win.
—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Flagg and James exchanged pleasantries before and after the game, shaking hands twice on the court.
—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Apr. 2026
Despite the intensity on the court, Staley and Auriemma have typically exchanged public pleasantries, complimenting each others' successes and importance to the women's game.
—
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
Note that the service isn't particularly happy, helpful, or welcoming, but who has time for pleasantries when you're slammed all day?
—
Cnt Editors,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantries
Noun
-
Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.
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With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.
Noun
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And of course, every wrapper came with the delightfully terrible jokes.
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Creator Alex Hirsch packed the show with enough jokes, pop culture references, and Easter eggs to inspire a cult fandom versed in the mythology of the quirky little town of Gravity Falls.
Noun
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Against the home’s cleaner architectural lines, Burle Marx’s individual plantings read as painterly gestures, flashes of form and texture that give the grounds their modernist rhythm.
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An introductory section designed by Studio Adrien Gardère will spotlight the savoir-faire of Le19M’s 11 resident maisons d’art, focusing on the gestures, tools, materials and creative processes that define them.
Noun
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Yakkity’s impulsiveness and wisecracking jokes provide the laughs, while Keo’s rivalry with his father (and his crush on Lemony) ground the show with genuine emotional dynamics.
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The fallout of that inquiry—to which Joe and Angela gamely acquiesce—generates its share of laughs, though our amusement comes at a cost.
Noun
-
His wisecracks were kept to a minimum.
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Barry Diller was full of wisecracks tonight at the PGA Awards.
Noun
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These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles.
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One highlight of this tenure was his descent into a fit of giggles while interviewing Carol Channing.
Noun
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The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
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The initial experience of Shakespeare’s meter leads to a world of discovery of a man who quite literally changed the world with witticisms and insight and has shaped every corner of humanity since the 16th century.
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantries. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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