1
as in gesture
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
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2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
his after-dinner speeches usually include the sort of gentle pleasantry that raises a chuckle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pleasantry
Of course, the pleasantries with familiar faces didn’t stop there.
—
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Although the Musée Granet finally acquired its first Cézanne in 1984, Aix has long had a shaky relationship with its most famous native son, who shocked the art world—and his hometown—with his bold departure from the hazy pleasantries of Impressionism.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025
But skip the default pleasantries and be more intentional.
—Lorraine K. Lee, CNBC, 19 June 2025
By contrast, Blatter’s successor is characterised as a man in a hurry, too busy to dwell too long on pleasantries.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
Although the Musée Granet finally acquired its first Cézanne in 1984, Aix has long had a shaky relationship with its most famous native son, who shocked the art world—and his hometown—with his bold departure from the hazy pleasantries of Impressionism.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2025
But skip the default pleasantries and be more intentional.
—Lorraine K. Lee, CNBC, 19 June 2025
By contrast, Blatter’s successor is characterised as a man in a hurry, too busy to dwell too long on pleasantries.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
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Meta is said to be developing new smart glasses that include a display for viewing apps and notifications and a wristband for easier gesture control, according to Bloomberg.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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The company applies a sociological attention to the gestures and dilemmas of people’s daily routines; once harvested, these insights are quickly incorporated into product designs.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though the movie is accessible to new fans, there are plenty of winks and nods for diehards who can understand what might seem, to the uninitiated, like cheesy moments—a cringeworthy English rap verse, a scene parodying the product placement in K-dramas—as self-aware jokes.—
Yvonne Kim,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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That means having to cut jokes that don't fit his do-no-harm MO.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The tradition muted palette gets a graphic update courtesy of pops of color informed by school pennants, an LV monogram tartan, as well as on theme embroideries and crests that extend to small accessories in the form of what are sure to be covetable caps, scarves, and ties.—
Naomi Rougeau,
Robb Report,
12 Sep. 2025
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Green Bay would find the end zone once more in the first half, courtesy of another 90-plus-yard drive.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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What captured millions of TikTok users' hearts was the pure joy that can be heard in her son’s laughs as her husband shields him from the rain.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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The ratio of laughs to drama changes quite sharply, however, as Joan takes her hostages off on their journey, leading to a bond with Tyler and a lot of unexpected revelations about Joan’s background.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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