1
as in gesture
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 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
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
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
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
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
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Its intuitive interface allows for operation with minimal training, either through direct hand gestures or semi-autonomous navigation during transport between deployment sites.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
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Those diplomatic gestures, along with his success in attracting foreign investment, won Vučić international praise as an effective reformer.—
Hanna Begić,
The Conversation,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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According to The New York Times, Chappelle — who has been under fired for his transphobic jokes in the past — used his comedy set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to speak about the lack of freedom of speech in the United States, especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
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People taking offense at jokes simply didn’t land as a news story anymore.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Even more detailed views came courtesy of astrophotographer Dan Bartlett, who imaged the comet over multiple nights to reveal how the complex structure of its ever-shifting tail evolved over time from his backyard in June Lake, California, over recent weeks.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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One was courtesy of shortstop Trevor Story, and the other was via first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In fact, the toddler's laugh can actually be heard on the record.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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Like most anthologies, horror or otherwise, they can be hit or miss, though just about every one of the individual segments in the franchise is good for a scare or at least a laugh.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Only an Aries, like Lily, can take Barney’s jabs in a joking way.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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