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.
Perhaps that explains her perfunctory, somewhat rote speech — which still didn’t detract from the joy of her win.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
As I visited congressional offices this week, meeting with sources and watching members of Congress interact with their constituents, it felt perfunctory — and, in some cases, sad.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 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
The perfunctory signage and wall text seem to be deliberate: How many visitors want to get bogged down in details, the GEM seems to reason.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025
Some perfunctory clapping by the elders; and some loud shouts of ‘Frodo! Frodo! Jolly old Frodo,’ from the juniors.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Vocabulary lists containing perfunctory
"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
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