performative
adjective
per·for·ma·tive
pər-ˈfȯr-mə-tiv 
pə-
1
: relating to or marked by public, often artistic performance
… comes across as funny, sharp and unfiltered, with a broad performative streak.—
Meredith Blake
Meredith BlakeThe secret … behind a magic trick is normally quite simple, but it's the magician's performative flair and masterly execution that makes it come to life.—Ian Frisch
Ian FrischFor me, this changed the atmosphere of the night from performative to meditative, from a concert to a private memorial service.—Catherine Womack
Catherine Womack2
disapproving
: made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others)
But when expressing outrage is as easy as posting a hashtag, a meme, or an empty black square, there's a question of whether that outrage is genuine or performative.—Alia E. Dastigir
Alia E. Dastigir… a large part of the discussion surrounding the movement's focus is on actually doing the work, rather than just keeping it a performative symbol of allyship.—Kara Nesvig
Kara NesvigWithout black executives, anti-racism signaling is merely performative.—Charles Chamberlayne
Charles Chamberlayne3
: determined and reinforced by the repeated performance of socially prescribed acts and behaviors rather than by biological factors
The view that gender is performative sought to show that what we take to be an internal essence of gender is manufactured through a sustained set of acts …—Judith Butler
Judith ButlerI join scholars who have argued that race is socially constructed and performative, but I keep my eye on what race and racial identity mean to those who are racialized.—Allyson Hobbs
Allyson Hobbs4
grammar
: being or relating to an expression (such as a word or statement) that performs the act it specifies or that effects a transaction (see transaction sense 2b)
a performative verb such as promise
performative utterances such as 'thank you' and 'I apologize'
A performative speech act is one that does the act that it describes by the words it uses.—Roger W. Shuy
Roger W. ShuyWhen I say 'I name this ship the Queen Elizabeth' I do not describe the christening ceremony, I actually perform the christening. … Now these kinds of utterance are what we call performative utterances.—J. L. Austin
compare constative
J. L. Austin
performative
noun
plural performatives
… legal performatives such as "I sentence you" or "I pronounce you man and wife."
—Spencer Bokat-Lindell
Spencer Bokat-Lindell
Examples of performative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Meetings become performative, projects lose momentum, and eventually, top performers burn out or disengage.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
If his most devoted followers saw repentance, more saw a performative bid to retain his career.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Not only a skilled technician in the demanding form of ballet but also a rare dancer who can expertly balance their performative prowess with emotional intensity.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
So much of these events nowadays look performative.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for performative
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Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
If his most devoted followers saw repentance, more saw a performative bid to retain his career.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 July 2025
Not only a skilled technician in the demanding form of ballet but also a rare dancer who can expertly balance their performative prowess with emotional intensity.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 28 June 2025
So much of these events nowadays look performative.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for performative
Cite this Entry
“Performative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/performative. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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