as in hurried
acting or done with excessive or careless speed
your essays require more than a cursory effort at proofreading
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cursory
Speaking at the White House last week, Mr. Musk asserted without providing evidence that a cursory examination of the Social Security Administration found that people listed in its systems as being 150 years old were receiving benefits.
—
Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Since 2001, the net effect of the state-building mission in Afghanistan has been the emergence of a strong Afghan army and a weak Afghan state, creating an imbalance that should worry anyone with a cursory knowledge of history or political theory.
—Paul D. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2014
Taylor Swift's generosity also deserves admiration Swift’s altruism is frequently tagged as a reason for respect and admiration, even from those with a cursory interest in her.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
The preamble Everything seems perfectly normal at a cursory first glance.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 16 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for cursory
Alan Rappeport, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Since 2001, the net effect of the state-building mission in Afghanistan has been the emergence of a strong Afghan army and a weak Afghan state, creating an imbalance that should worry anyone with a cursory knowledge of history or political theory.
—Paul D. Miller, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2014
Taylor Swift's generosity also deserves admiration Swift’s altruism is frequently tagged as a reason for respect and admiration, even from those with a cursory interest in her.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
The preamble Everything seems perfectly normal at a cursory first glance.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 16 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for cursory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cursory
Adjective
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My Dien is a hurried cluster that has grown up ad hoc, with buildings of varying sizes rising like reeds from a fertile swamp.—
Damien Cave,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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This comes as the Trump administration has faced growing criticisms for its hurried proceedings to remove as many noncitizens from the country as quickly as possible.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Stewart’s return partly answered the question of who would host The Daily Show, a question that had been asked for well over a year after Noah’s hasty departure.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
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And the White House thinks now is a good time to drop everything and do a hasty bilateral trade deal? Trade agreements are wildly complicated affairs in the best of times, taking several months, even years.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Later in the day, Bonner and Brooks’ relative were getting food at a restaurant when someone shot and killed Bonner in a still-unresolved drive-by.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
10 June 2025
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Hawai’i vet Jason Antoon, who played the three-season CBS drama’s Ernie, recently shared a drive-by video of the Hawaii Film Studio in Honolulu, a 7.5-acre lot at the foot of Diamond Head crater that most recently was home to the NCIS spinoff and CBS’ Magnum P.I. reboot.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Crisp, curly hair indicates a hasty, somewhat impetuous and rash character.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
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Ellie is rash and impulsive; Dina is lovestruck; Jesse is loyal and selfless.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Most of the garage lights on our list include power cords to plug them into an outlet, making installation quick and easy.—
Molly Blanco,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2025
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As with uptime, Bluehost's quick and reliable customer support continues to impress us in testing.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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After Earps’ announcement, Wiegman was asked what her long-time goalkeeper’s sudden international retirement two months before a major tournament said about the unity of the team.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Keep a safe distance: Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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These groups are targeted because they are either perceived as trusting, impulsive or unfamiliar with how digital scams operate.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2025
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Similarly to Libra, there are many components to her vibe that juxtapose each other, making her level-headed and impulsive.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cursory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cursory. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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