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
Brussels issued only a perfunctory rebuke.
—
Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Workout may be a generous term—what the group went through was rather perfunctory.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Across his multimedia practice, Aram’s project is one of disrupting the habits of classification that render aesthetic judgment perfunctory.
—Julian Stern, Artforum, 24 Mar. 2026
The Dominican team set a WBC record for home runs in this tournament – and, presumably, a record for ensuing bat flips and elaborate home run trots that turn a perfunctory trip around the bases into a performative celebration of national identity and personal swagger.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Workout may be a generous term—what the group went through was rather perfunctory.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Apr. 2026
Across his multimedia practice, Aram’s project is one of disrupting the habits of classification that render aesthetic judgment perfunctory.
—Julian Stern, Artforum, 24 Mar. 2026
The Dominican team set a WBC record for home runs in this tournament – and, presumably, a record for ensuing bat flips and elaborate home run trots that turn a perfunctory trip around the bases into a performative celebration of national identity and personal swagger.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perfunctory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perfunctory
Adjective
-
While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.—
Reid BG,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Glantz remained upright at his otherwise empty table, and his nonchalant noshing was caught on a CNN livestream of the room.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nick Jonas has a casual yet stylish vibe in a leather jacket, hoodie and baseball cap in New York City on April 23.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Wetjen was out at Stone Creek Golf Club near Iowa’s campus, playing a casual round with his girlfriend, Rachel Bierman, and friends when the moment hit.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perfunctory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perfunctory. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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