Used in a Sentence

perfunctory

How to use perfunctory in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for perfunctory.

Editorial note

After the perfunctory patdown, he pointed to my luggage and said I could go get it.

Examples10
Definitions2
Parts of speech1

Quick take

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance"; "perfunctory courtesy"

Meaning at a glance

The clearest senses and uses of perfunctory gathered in one view.

adjective

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance"; "perfunctory courtesy"

adjective

as a formality only; "a one-candidate pro forma election"

Definitions

Core meanings and parts of speech for perfunctory.

adjective

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance"; "perfunctory courtesy"

adjective

as a formality only; "a one-candidate pro forma election"

Example sentences

1

After the perfunctory patdown, he pointed to my luggage and said I could go get it.

2

A printout of something written seems sort of perfunctory, and isn't really better than simply sending a typed note.

3

If someone expires after a long illness or after a very difficult surgery there is little and less chance that perfunctory CPR will be helpful.

4

I mean in reality, apart from the perfunctory rhetorical barbs for domestic consumption.

5

They are generally minor or petty crimes, at least that I have read about so far. It seems like an overzealous us of a tool for perfunctory government twerps to feel empowered and make a case for their continued existence...not at all beneficial in the short or long term

6

I was asked why I was opting out by the TSA officer performing my pat-down at BUR who seemed personally curious more than anything, but otherwise it's been perfunctory.

7

For me it's the right trade-off because so much of CLR's coverage comes across as perfunctory, as if they're just checking boxes off an endless curriculum list that's intended to please everyone, much like the big calculus books.

8

Sorry to be a jerk but does it annoy anyone how often conversations about the military/soldiers go through the perfunctory "I respect your service blah blah blah..."?The term "military service" itself irks me to no end.

9

I've noticed this trend also, I asked google and got this response from wikipedia:> An individual case often begins with a perfunctory infringement complaint,[31] or even a mere threat of suit, which is often enough to encourage settlement for the nuisance or "threat value" of the suit by purchasing a license to the patent.

10

Doesn't a perfunctory nod to public decency still require that, if a woman in technology says "this article about women in technology does not portray people like me in the way I would prefer," anyone who is not in that category should acquiesce, or at least show a baseline level of respect for the request?When I was a raver, and I saw stories in the media about ravers, and I told my non-raver friends "yeah that doesn't quite correspond to reality," they were curious to hear what the reality was.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.

How do you use perfunctory in a sentence?

After the perfunctory patdown, he pointed to my luggage and said I could go get it.

What does perfunctory mean?

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance"; "perfunctory courtesy"

What part of speech is perfunctory?

perfunctory is commonly used as adjective.