as in nonchalant
having or showing a lack of interest or concern
the violinist delivered a perfunctory performance that displayed none of the passion and warmth he was once known for
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Recent Examples of perfunctory
Many felt Thibodeau, who was the Knicks' head coach for the previous five seasons, was stuck in the NBA of the 1990s with his slowdown offense and refusal to give bench players more than a perfunctory amount of playing time.
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Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
These weren’t just perfunctory thank-yous.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Most of Bargatze’s interstitial commentary, as perfunctory as that also was, had to do with the money.
—Judy Berman, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Every other elimination is perfunctory at best.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfunctory
Adjective
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Her nonchalant, soft-glam is so perfectly mesmerizing, my TikTok and social media feeds are flooded with tutorials trying to re-create her signature style.—
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One fictional and the other real, the drug lords look nonchalant.—
Adjective
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For many young women, the stiletto’s discomfort is part of the appeal, offering proof that effort and glamor remain in an age of casual sneakers.—
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Simple yet polished, the Anrabess Long Sleeve Midi Dress is perfect for a casual Thanksgiving feast or a fall day out on the town.—
Cite this Entry
“Perfunctory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfunctory. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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