performative
Americanadjective
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Philosophy, Linguistics. (of an expression or statement) performing an act by the very fact of being uttered, as with the expression “I promise,” that performs the act of promising.
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relating to the performance of behaviors associated with a particular social role or identity.
He reflects on his mother's performative femininity, remembering the times he witnessed her adorning herself with eyeshadow, bracelets, and belts.
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relating to ways of behaving that exhibit a socially acceptable belief, trait, or quality, often making a superficial impression.
Performative wokeness enables privileged people to reap the social benefits of wokeness without actually undertaking the necessary legwork to combat inequality.
noun
adjective
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denoting an utterance that constitutes some act, esp the act described by the verb. For example, I confess that I was there is itself a confession, and so is performative in the narrower sense, while I'd like you to meet … (effecting an introduction) is performative only in the looser sense See also locutionary act illocution perlocution
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( as noun )
that sentence is a performative
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denoting a verb that may be used as the main verb in such an utterance
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( as noun )
``promise'' is a performative
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of performative
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.
Performative speech and acts are everywhere; I hear them, see them, witness them every day.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2021
Performative intimacy is a riddle I cannot crack.
From The Guardian • May 4, 2018
Performative, ceremonial and gleefully theatrical, the inaugural event drew laughter and cheers from an engaged crowd of mostly women, with an age range that was refreshingly wide.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2018
A Performative redress which is all a public apology really is.
From Time • Jan. 22, 2014
“Thirty Performative Actions” involves a range of media, including film and photography.
From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2010
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
