adjective
perfunctory
per-FUNGK-tuh-ree/pərˈfʌŋktəri/
Done as a routine duty with little care or interest.
The receptionist gives each form a perfunctory stamp while looking away.
Etymology
The roots suggest performing a task just to get through it. The Latin adjective already described someone careless or negligent, connecting mere completion of a duty with doing it without interest.
In context
the way he held on a beat longer than a perfunctory hug requires I have held this person through enough genuine moments in his life to know the difference between a performance and the real thing
More examples
- His perfunctory apology does little to ease her anger.
- The inspector makes a perfunctory check and misses several obvious problems.
- They exchange perfunctory greetings before returning to their phones.
Forms
perfunctory · more perfunctory · most perfunctory
perfunctorily adverb — With little care, interest, or effort.
perfunctoriness noun — The quality of acting without care or interest.
Similar words
- cursory
- Emphasizes haste and lack of thoroughness rather than routine duty.
- mechanical
- Emphasizes automatic action without thought, not necessarily careless work.
- superficial
- Emphasizes lack of depth rather than lack of interest.