Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

cursory

American  
[kur-suh-ree] / ˈkɜr sə ri /

adjective

  1. going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial.

    a cursory glance at a newspaper article.
    Synonyms:
    haphazard, passing, brief, quick
cursory British  
/ ˈkɜːsərɪ /

adjective

  1. hasty and usually superficial; quick

    a cursory check
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • cursorily adverb
  • cursoriness noun

Etymology

Origin of cursory

1595–1605; < Late Latin cursōrius running, equivalent to Latin cur ( rere ) to run + -sōrius, for -tōrius -tory 1; course

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.

“But the claim that our country is uniquely aggressive in childhood vaccination collapses under even cursory international comparison,” it concluded.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

In interviews, some surrogates said they felt the agencies rushed their screenings or did cursory reviews of their backgrounds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

Then, based on a cursory review of the transcript, the Supreme Court overruled him.

From Slate • Dec. 5, 2025

When she was married, she had just a cursory participation in their married finances, but had to assume it all upon the husband’s passing.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 1, 2025

Hagrid stooped down, bestowed upon Harry a cursory and rib-cracking hug, then ran back to the shattered window.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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.