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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pleasantry
While where reporters were present, the two leaders only exchanged pleasantries.
—
Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Once onstage, Stallone traded a few pleasantries with the mayor, Melendrez and the crowd.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
The Fire Dogs and Law Hogs were united as one before kickoff, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Usha Vance, the nation's second lady and wife of Vice President JD Vance, has spent her family's first year in office familiarizing herself with the pitfalls and pleasantries of public service.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
Once onstage, Stallone traded a few pleasantries with the mayor, Melendrez and the crowd.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
The Fire Dogs and Law Hogs were united as one before kickoff, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 1 Feb. 2026
Usha Vance, the nation's second lady and wife of Vice President JD Vance, has spent her family's first year in office familiarizing herself with the pitfalls and pleasantries of public service.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
-
Balances were a recurrent problem in the Prokofiev, and, with big and often distracting gestures, Kavakos didn’t always keep up with the soloist, the DSO’s excellent concertmaster, Alexander Kerr.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
The domestic gesture—cloth pegged on a line—challenges the archive’s binding, creating a visual anthology suspended in space.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Gwen then cracks a joke about firing Del Rio's character.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
-
There is a drawing of a child crouched on a ride-on suitcase, notes for a joke Fleming posted online in January.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the real moment came courtesy of the cape effect.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In 2021, a lawsuit was filed against the city for its courtesy tow practices.—
Liz Crawford,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rather than letting the gags flit by quickly, the cast pauses endlessly after each utterance to milk the laughs.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Trump told the men’s team during the call, eliciting laughs in the background.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The women’s team declined their joking invitation and had to explain comments directed at them.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The tiny macaque, born on July 26, is often spotted clutching a plush toy from IKEA and has melted hearts across the internet, inspiring a wave of comments from fans half-joking about booking flights to Japan to check on him.—
Joshua Mellin,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
