pleasantries

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Twenty years ago, founders proudly eschewed fashion and decorum, too busy writing code and devising a new world order to bother with pleasantries, like basic manners and French cuffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Groups of passersby stopped outside the city’s La Carlota air base—one of the sites targeted in Saturday’s military incursion —to take photos, exchanging pleasantries as they snapped photos of the bombed site.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

After some pleasantries, I explained that I couldn’t help with her moving boxes because I was about to conduct a highly sensitive business transaction.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

Members of Congress filed in for a joint session, exchanged pleasantries, and settled into their roles.

From Slate • Jan. 6, 2025

They shook hands, exchanged pleasantries, and Mother followed him to a doorway with a security camera.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti