Standard Lemma guide

perfunctorily

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /pəɹˈfʌŋkt(ə)ɹɪli/

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a perfunctory manner, without interest or concern for quality.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in a set manner without serious attention

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they answered my letter pro forma
  • he kissed her cheek perfunctorily

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: as a formality, pro forma

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English perfunctory Middle English -ly English -ly English perfunctorily From perfunctory + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 敷衍了事 (fūyǎnliǎoshì) — in a perfunctory manner
  • Dutch: zonder enthousiasme — in a perfunctory manner
  • Dutch: voor de vorm — in a perfunctory manner
  • Finnish: puolihuolimattomasti — in a perfunctory manner
  • Finnish: pintapuolisesti — in a perfunctory manner
  • French: sans enthousiasme — in a perfunctory manner
  • French: pour la forme — in a perfunctory manner
  • French: négligemment — in a perfunctory manner
  • Irish: ar nós cuma liom — in a perfunctory manner
  • Polish: zdawkowo — in a perfunctory manner
  • Polish: lakonicznie — in a perfunctory manner
  • Polish: beznamiętnie — in a perfunctory manner