perfunctory
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.
And there’s nothing about this show that is perfunctory.
From Salon • May 28, 2026
“This constellation of foreign investment from China and from Gulf States, with complex and sometimes competing relationships with the United States, demands rigorous, not perfunctory review,” Booker and the others wrote.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Ms. Campbell, never the most beguiling actress, has appeared in every entry except “Scream VI” and gives another perfunctory performance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Right there, you have the perfect shadow-docket sandwich: perfunctory, bad decisionmaking, conclusory predictions about what constitutes an “emergency” and who’s going to win, decided in a couple of days, wiping out extensive factual findings.
From Slate • Jan. 3, 2026
“I’m not sure,” she said, giving me a perfunctory, patronizing smile, “that you’re Princeton material.”
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Vocabulary lists containing perfunctory
"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
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100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
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