perfunctory
Americanadjective
-
performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial.
perfunctory courtesy.
- Synonyms:
- uninterested, thoughtless, heedless, negligent
-
lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic.
In his lectures he reveals himself to be merely a perfunctory speaker.
- Synonyms:
- uninterested, thoughtless, heedless, negligent
adjective
-
done superficially, only as a matter of routine; careless or cursory
-
dull or indifferent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perfunctory
1575–85; < Late Latin perfūnctōrius negligent, superficial, derivative of perfungī to do one's job, be done, equivalent to per- per- + fung-, base of fungī to perform, function + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
Perfunctory means done as part of a routine or duty. If you give someone a gift and they look at it like it's roadkill and say nothing but a perfunctory "thank you," you might not be giving them another one anytime soon. A person who does something in a perfunctory way shows little enthusiasm or interest in what they are doing. Many of our everyday greetings are perfunctory. For example, when we say "Hello" and "How are you?", we usually do so out of habit. Perfunctory is from Latin perfunctus, from perfungi, "to get through with, perform," formed from the Latin prefix per-, "completely," plus fungi, "to perform."
Vocabulary lists containing perfunctory
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
And there’s nothing about this show that is perfunctory.
From Salon • May 28, 2026
“This constellation of foreign investment from China and from Gulf States, with complex and sometimes competing relationships with the United States, demands rigorous, not perfunctory review,” Booker and the others wrote.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Ms. Campbell, never the most beguiling actress, has appeared in every entry except “Scream VI” and gives another perfunctory performance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026
Right there, you have the perfect shadow-docket sandwich: perfunctory, bad decisionmaking, conclusory predictions about what constitutes an “emergency” and who’s going to win, decided in a couple of days, wiping out extensive factual findings.
From Slate • Jan. 3, 2026
He gave Sandor Clegane a perfunctory nod and walked away as briskly as his stunted legs would carry him, whistling.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
