1
as in gesture
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pleasantry
And, to cap off his WWE appearance, Scott appeared backstage in the parking lot, exchanging pleasantries with The Rock.
—
Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
But before the clock hit zero and players on both sidelines funneled onto the field for the postgame pleasantries, a celebration was building.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Senator John Fetterman and billionaire Elon Musk shared pleasantries as the two were on Capitol Hill yesterday.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
As the ladies settle in and gather for lunch, casual pleasantries quickly give way to playful shade—par for the course with this group.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pleasantry 
Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
But before the clock hit zero and players on both sidelines funneled onto the field for the postgame pleasantries, a celebration was building.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Senator John Fetterman and billionaire Elon Musk shared pleasantries as the two were on Capitol Hill yesterday.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
As the ladies settle in and gather for lunch, casual pleasantries quickly give way to playful shade—par for the course with this group.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
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Breathwork, sound, gesture, and instrumentation played key roles in oral poetry delivered in this era.—
David Silverberg,
JSTOR Daily,
29 Jan. 2025
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At first, the dedicated mother saw the project as a simple, heartfelt gesture to create something meaningful for her son.—
Hilary Tetenbaum,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For years this has been the joke among students and faculty at campuses everywhere.—
Beth Anderson,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
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Though their conversation was inaudible over the sounds in the gymnasium, Abdul-Jabbar seemed to make a joke about Johnson wearing Michigan State gear — looking down at his own letterman jacket and back up at Johnson’s green hoodie.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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As a consequence, courtesy of semiotics, twentieth-century Mannerism became an explicit critique of precedent, which classical Mannerism had always been—without saying so.—
Mario Carpo,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2025
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Others in the Reddit thread shared their own experiences of passengers disregarding basic courtesy and crew instructions.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The group is visibly uneasy, with forced laughs filling the gaps.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
3 Feb. 2025
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Expect surprises, laughs and celebrity cameos on the airwaves all night, with the 2025 Ad Meter winner announced on Monday morning.—
Jim Reineking,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pleasantry
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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