Word Explorer

Perfunctory

/pəˈfʌŋk.t(ə)ɹɪ/

Done only to fulfil a duty, or in a careless or indifferent manner; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote.

📖 Definitions of "Perfunctory"

adjective

1
Done only to fulfil a duty, or in a careless or indifferent manner; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote.
"He did a perfunctory job cleaning his dad's car, finishing quickly but leaving a few spots still dirty."

6 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
cursory	Hasty or superficial.
casualnoun	(of behavior, usage, or milieu) Informal; relaxed.
careless	Not giving sufficient attention or thought, especially concerning the avoidance of harm or mistakes.
formalnoun	Official.
passingnoun	Going past.
pro formanoun	Occurring, undertaken, or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of formality.

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
pro forma	Occurring, undertaken, or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of formality.
formal	Official.
passing	Going past.
casual	(of behavior, usage, or milieu) Informal; relaxed.
cursory	Hasty or superficial.
careless	Not giving sufficient attention or thought, especially concerning the avoidance of harm or mistakes.
routinenoun	A course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure.
summary	Concise, brief, or presented in a condensed form; presenting information in such a form.
facile	(now usually derogatory) Easy; contemptibly easy.
superficial	Appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.
shallow	Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.
surfacenoun	The overside or up-side of a flat object such as a table, or of a liquid.
touchy	(of a person) Easily offended, oversensitive.
overhasty	Too hasty.
hasty	Acting or done in haste; hurried or too quick; speedy due to having little time.
flimsy	Likely to bend or break under pressure; easily damaged; frail, unsubstantial.
above-ground	Alternative form of aboveground.
surficial	(geology, astronomy) Of or pertaining to the surface of something, particularly the surface of the Earth.
cosmetic	Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion.
otiose	Having no reason for being (raison d’être); having no point, reason, or purpose.