Perfunctory Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

The meaning of PERFUNCTORY is characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical. How to use perfunctory in a sentence. Did you know? Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks JoinMWU MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut perfunctory adjective SaveWord per·​func·​to·​ry |\pər-ˈfəŋ(k)-t(ə-)rē \ Definitionofperfunctory 1 :characterizedbyroutineorsuperficiality:mechanical aperfunctorysmile 2 :lackingininterestorenthusiasm OtherWordsfromperfunctory Synonyms&Antonyms Didyouknow? MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutperfunctory OtherWordsfromperfunctory perfunctorily \ pər-​ˈfəŋ(k)-​t(ə-​)rə-​lē \ adverb perfunctoriness \ pər-​ˈfəŋ(k)-​t(ə-​)rē-​nəs \ noun Synonyms&Antonymsforperfunctory Synonyms apathetic, casual, complacent, disinterested, incurious, indifferent, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious, uninterested Antonyms concerned, interested VisittheThesaurusforMore  Didyouknow? PerfunctoryisawordwhoseoriginsarefoundentirelyinLatin.ItfirstappearedinEnglishinthelate16thcenturyandisderivedfromtheLateLatinperfunctorius,meaning"doneinacarelessorsuperficialmanner."(Perfunctoriuswasalsoborrowedforthesynonymous,andnowarchaic,Englishadjectiveperfunctoriousataroundthesametime.)PerfunctoriuscomesfromtheearlierLatinperfunctus,apastparticipleofperfungi,meaning"toaccomplish"or"togetthroughwith."Thatverbisformedbycombiningtheprefixper-,meaning"through,"withtheverbfungi,meaning"toperform."Fungicanbefoundintherootsofsuchwordsasfunction,defunct,andfungible. ExamplesofperfunctoryinaSentence Theeight-timeProBowlplayersometimesgoesseveralweekswithoutagreeingtodoeventhemostperfunctorypostgameinterviews. —NunyoDemasio,SportsIllustrated,8Jan.2007 Convivialandself-absorbed,hetalksfreelyaboutcrimeandcrooks,withonlythemostperfunctorynodstowardconventionalmorality. —EdwardDolnick,TheRescueArtist,2005 Youprobablydon'twanttoknowhowperfunctorywasthepresentationofthestate'sevidence,howtenth-ratewastheperformanceofthecourt-appointeddefenseorhowwretchedwastheend. —ChristopherHitchens,Nation,23-30Aug.1999 theviolinistdeliveredaperfunctoryperformancethatdisplayednoneofthepassionandwarmthhewasonceknownfor RecentExamplesontheWeb Watchingthoseassists,though,alotofthemwerekindofperfunctoryassists:dribblehand-offs,swingingtheballtoaplayertoinitiateoffense,anoutletpassintransition. — AndyLarsen,TheSaltLakeTribune,22Mar.2022 EverytimeWrightcutslooseagain,addingintwirlingdancesonaSicilianrockfort,thefilmcomesalive,butBennettandHarrison’sperfunctorychemistryistoughertogetexcitedabout. — DavidSims,TheAtlantic,28Jan.2022 Nuruspokelittleatthefederalhearing,otherthantorespondtoperfunctoryquestionsposedtohimbyU.S.DistrictJudgeWilliamOrrickovervideoconference. — MeganCassidy,SanFranciscoChronicle,6Jan.2022 ThecommissionheldoneperfunctorymeetinginOctoberwithoutevenconsidering,muchlessapprovingamapbeforemap-makingauthorityrevertedtothestatelegislature. — AndrewJ.Tobias,cleveland,29Nov.2021 Meanwhile,boththecriminalandmedicalaspectsofthestoryline—thatis,themeatoftheshow—registerasoddlyperfunctory. — AngieHan,TheHollywoodReporter,3Jan.2022 BecauseRitchsonisplayingayoungerversionofReacher,allflirtationismerelyperfunctoryinsteadofirredeemablyicky. — DanielFienberg,TheHollywoodReporter,1Feb.2022 Bogdanos’steambeganseizingnotjustantiquities,butcomputers,cellphones,emails,notes,andotherpersonalrecordsshowingwhetherbuyershadtakenanythingmorethanthemostperfunctorystepstoinvestigateprovenance. — ArielSabar,TheAtlantic,23Nov.2021 UrdumadeittotheConstitutionaspartofalargelyperfunctorylistofofficiallanguagesonlybecausePrimeMinisterNehruinsistedonit. — ShoaibDaniyal,Quartz,26Oct.2021 SeeMore Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'perfunctory.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. FirstKnownUseofperfunctory 1593,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1 HistoryandEtymologyforperfunctory LateLatinperfunctorius,fromLatinperfungitoaccomplish,getthroughwith,fromper-through+fungitoperform—moreatper-,function LearnMoreAboutperfunctory Shareperfunctory PosttheDefinitionofperfunctorytoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofperfunctoryonTwitter TimeTravelerforperfunctory Thefirstknownuseofperfunctorywas in1593 Seemorewordsfromthesameyear ListentoOurPodcastAboutperfunctory ThememusicbyJoshuaStamper©2006NewJerusalemMusic/ASCAP GetWordoftheDaydeliveredtoyourinbox! SignUp DictionaryEntriesNearperfunctory perfunctorious perfunctory perfusate SeeMoreNearbyEntries  Statisticsforperfunctory LastUpdated 24Mar2022 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Perfunctory.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfunctory.Accessed26Mar.2022. 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