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
1575â85; < Late Latin perfÅ«nctÅrius negligent, superficial, derivative of perfungÄ« to do one's job, be done, equivalent to per- per- + fung-, base of fungÄ« to perform, function + -tÅrius -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
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"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
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"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
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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.
Perhaps that explains her perfunctory, somewhat rote speech — which still didn’t detract from the joy of her win.
From Los Angeles Times â Jun. 8, 2026
And there’s nothing about this show that is perfunctory.
From Salon â May 28, 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 â Feb. 26, 2026
The much criticised Youssef Chermiti scored an extraordinary double before Kasper Schmeichel flapped at Mikey Moore's perfunctory shot.
From BBC â Jan. 5, 2026
Not just a perfunctory curling of the lips, but a warm, toothy grin.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
