perfunctory

adjective
UK: /pəˈfʌŋktəri/
US: /pərˈfʌŋktəri/

  1. Done quickly and without much thought or effort; lacking enthusiasm or care.

    1. He gave a perfunctory nod to acknowledge my greeting.
    2. The clerk gave a perfunctory glance at my ID before waving me through security because it was busy.

  2. Carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection.

    1. The police made a perfunctory search of the house.
    2. Her perfunctory attempts to comfort him only made him feel more alone and isolated in the big city.

Synonyms

cursory lackluster superficial apathetic indifferent routine sketchy
perfunctory adverb

  1. In a perfunctory manner; carelessly or routinely.

    1. He completed the task perfunctorily.
    2. She perfunctorily signed the document without even reading what it was about.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "perfunctory" in English means: Done quickly and without much thought or effort; lacking enthusiasm or care., Carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection..

The phonetic transcription of "perfunctory" is /pəˈfʌŋktəri/ in British English and /pərˈfʌŋktəri/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "perfunctory": cursory, lackluster, superficial, apathetic, indifferent, routine, sketchy.

Example usage of "perfunctory": "He gave a perfunctory nod to acknowledge my greeting.". More examples on the page.