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
Advertisement Alcaraz spread his arms wide, smiled at his team’s box, and dropped his head into Sinner’s shoulder at the net as the pair exchanged pleasantries.
—
Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
Trump applauded while the Russian president walked to meet him, shaking hands and giving friendly arm taps while the two exchanged pleasantries before posing for photos.
—Rema Rahman, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
After running into each other at a Laker’s game and exchanging pleasantries, Sandler says the pop star’s agent began to continually reach out to find a way to work with the comedian.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 22 July 2025
Of course, the pleasantries with familiar faces didn’t stop there.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Sean Gregory, Time, 7 Sep. 2025
Trump applauded while the Russian president walked to meet him, shaking hands and giving friendly arm taps while the two exchanged pleasantries before posing for photos.
—Rema Rahman, The Hill, 16 Aug. 2025
After running into each other at a Laker’s game and exchanging pleasantries, Sandler says the pop star’s agent began to continually reach out to find a way to work with the comedian.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 22 July 2025
Of course, the pleasantries with familiar faces didn’t stop there.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
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Meta is said to be developing new smart glasses that include a display for viewing apps and notifications and a wristband for easier gesture control, according to Bloomberg.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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The company applies a sociological attention to the gestures and dilemmas of people’s daily routines; once harvested, these insights are quickly incorporated into product designs.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But one Democratic member of the FCC tells her that Carr can't pull a license just because the administration doesn't like a joke or criticism.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
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After general manager Bill Guerin spoke to reporters, declining to go into detail about the ongoing contract negotiations, superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov spoke to reporters, as well, smiling big, cracking jokes, and declaring his love for Minnesota.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Photo courtesy of Templon, Paris - Brussels Some of the bronze sculptures are painted in vibrant colors.—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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As always, his courtesy was old-fashioned and slightly otherworldly.—
Cynthia Zarin,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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What captured millions of TikTok users' hearts was the pure joy that can be heard in her son’s laughs as her husband shields him from the rain.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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The ratio of laughs to drama changes quite sharply, however, as Joan takes her hostages off on their journey, leading to a bond with Tyler and a lot of unexpected revelations about Joan’s background.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When Peanut pulled his second escape act, his owners knew where to look and handled Peanut's disappearance in a joking manner.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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Multiple outlets that examined the reporting identified the claim as unverified and labeled the story a hoax; Colbert had previously made a joking on-air reference to streaming platforms but had not announced any deal with Netflix.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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