1
as in gesture
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
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2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
his after-dinner speeches usually include the sort of gentle pleasantry that raises a chuckle
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pleasantry
Zelenskyy was all smiles on Saturday as he was greeted by Starmer outside No. 10 Downing Street, and the pleasantries continued during their photo spray inside.
—
Rashid Haddou, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
Within the span of five minutes, Samantha had skipped pleasantries and knew all about my three Italian mothers (my mother and her sisters), my current complicated situationship, and my dreams of becoming a writer.
—Sara Sturek, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2025
The comedian walked into the venue exchanging pleasantries with staffers along the way.
—Ryma Chikhoune, WWD, 3 Mar. 2025
At the end of the day, as my family shared pictures and pleasantries from our morning together, the group text really just wanted the casserole recipe.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Rashid Haddou, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2025
Within the span of five minutes, Samantha had skipped pleasantries and knew all about my three Italian mothers (my mother and her sisters), my current complicated situationship, and my dreams of becoming a writer.
—Sara Sturek, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2025
The comedian walked into the venue exchanging pleasantries with staffers along the way.
—Ryma Chikhoune, WWD, 3 Mar. 2025
At the end of the day, as my family shared pictures and pleasantries from our morning together, the group text really just wanted the casserole recipe.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
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The gesture was orchestrated by Hunsaker, who wanted a picture-perfect moment for his children to look back on.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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Nor was there much of a budget for players’ equipment and meals, let alone small gestures that Shero insisted were necessary — such as sending flowers to the wife of a player who signed as a free agent.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Trump sued Maher in 2013 for $5 million after the comedian made a crass joke about his mother and an orangutan.—
Steff Danielle Thomas,
The Hill,
19 Apr. 2025
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Andrews adds musical interludes, which don’t always work, and brutal jokes, which do.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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United were purposeful and tenacious from the start and cruised to an early lead courtesy of a splendid solo goal from Bizet in the sixth minute.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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Photograph courtesy of Le Gryuère AOP Outside, Fromagerie de Mézières is ringed in meadow.—
Betsy Andrews,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That sort of showboating elicits laughs from TV audiences, partly because today's younger shoppers are spending less on pricey goods and more on luxury experiences.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Sharing good laughs goes a long way to strengthening connections and relationships.—
Liz Guthridge,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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