Word
perfunctory
Phoneticsper·func·to·ry, stress on the second syllable
US/pɝˈfəŋktɝi/
UK/pəfˈʌŋktəɹˌi/
In Japanese
irresponsible; perfunctory; careless
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definition
adj. done quickly and without real interest or care. You do something this way only because you have to, not because you want to do a good job.
adj. carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection. Attributive or predicative adjective typically describing actions performed as a matter of routine or duty.
Examples
“He gives a perfunctory nod as he walks past.”
“The inspector performed a perfunctory check of the building, missing several obvious repairs that were needed.”
“The candidate offered only a perfunctory apology during the interview, failing to address the deeper concerns raised by the committee regarding his previous professional conduct.”
Examples
simple
“He gives a perfunctory nod as he walks past.”
contextual
“The inspector performed a perfunctory check of the building, missing several obvious repairs that were needed.”
complex
“The candidate offered only a perfunctory apology during the interview, failing to address the deeper concerns raised by the committee regarding his previous professional conduct.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “perfunctory” in context.
Verb
01. give a perfunctory nod
“He gave a perfunctory nod to his colleagues as he hurried out of the office.”
verb + adj + noun
02. perform a perfunctory search
“The guards performed a perfunctory search of the bags before letting the visitors through.”
verb + adj + noun
03. receive a perfunctory apology
“The customer received a perfunctory apology from the manager, which only made him angrier.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
04. perfunctory greeting
“They exchanged perfunctory greetings before getting straight down to business.”
adj + noun
05. perfunctory inspection
“After a perfunctory inspection of the engine, the mechanic declared the car fit for the road.”
adj + noun
06. perfunctory smile
“She offered a perfunctory smile to the camera, clearly wishing she were elsewhere.”
adj + noun
Adverb
07. purely perfunctory
“The interview felt purely perfunctory, as if they had already decided who to hire.”
adv + adj
08. somewhat perfunctory
“His response was somewhat perfunctory, suggesting he wasn't really listening to the question.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Minimising the series’ role-playing elements (levelling up has never felt more perfunctory) in favour of twitch-based action will annoy purists, but they’d be hard pressed to call battles dull.” “For the most part, the programming is disastrously bad, and the stage is underattended until festivalgoers can catch a perfunctory glimpse of someone semi-famous.” Etymology
From Late Latin perfunctōrius (“careless, negligent”), from the past participial stem of perfungor, perfunct- (“perform, carry through”), from per- + fungor.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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