519 Sentences With "perfunctory"

How to use perfunctory in a sentence? Find typical usage patterns (collocations)/phrases/context for "perfunctory" and check conjugation/comparative form for "perfunctory". Mastering all the usages of "perfunctory" from sentence examples published by news publications.

type: All Declarative Interrogative Exclamative

structure: All Simple Compound Complex Compound-Complex

length: All <=10 words 10-20 words 20-30 words 30-50 words

Even his fight sequences, while fast and intricate, feel perfunctory. from The New York Times
Illumination's perfunctory charm and Pixar's concentrated genius is never more from New Republic
These days, their conversations tended to be brief and perfunctory. from New Yorker
Johnson's perfunctory apology to Poirier doesn't wipe away his mistake. from Vice
Your entire life up to this point has been perfunctory. from Vice
After a media firestorm, Trump did issue a perfunctory denouncement. from CNN
I'm sure I made some perfunctory transition videos, but that's it. from Gizmodo
The perfunctory upbeat ending leaves you unconvinced that worst is over. from The New York Times
A bit of aerial display with women in harnesses is perfunctory. from The New York Times
In 1939, the justices issued a perfunctory ruling in U.S. v. from New Republic
Use Slack for more than just sort of perfunctory work things. from Wired
Government investigators concluded that sloppy management and perfunctory regulation were responsible. from The New York Times
None are more disappointing than the couple's perfunctory, suspense-free spacewalks. from The New York Times
You're doing it at this exact time and it's very perfunctory. from Refinery 29
That meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes, appeared to be perfunctory. from Politico
As for the trial, Mr. McConnell aims to keep things perfunctory. from The New York Times
It could not have been more desultory and perfunctory, the discussion. from The New York Times
Police crime-scene investigations and autopsies, meanwhile, are opaque and perfunctory. from Reuters
And the moderators only hit health care in a perfunctory way. from CNN
The Senate and Assembly granted a single day each of perfunctory hearings. from The New York Times
The Trump answers have become almost perfunctory, based on Tuesday's informal survey. from CNN
It was a perfunctory proclamation, issued every March since 1990 by presidents from New Republic
In comparison to those moments of love, though, these parallels feel perfunctory. from New Republic
Most Russian criminal trials are perfunctory and last just a few days. from The New York Times
It's not a morality tale, despite a perfunctory nod in that direction. from Washington Post
There were perfunctory performances by Ariana Grande, Hailee Steinfeld and Ellie Goulding. from The New York Times
If you believe that, then any hearing this week is simply perfunctory. from The Hill
And I don't mean Trump offered a few niceties in a perfunctory manner. from CNN
In this scheme of things, norms and laws are perfunctory theater, at best. from New Republic
At best, reciting the pledge has become a perfunctory exercise of rote memorization. from The Hill
At this year's summit, Trump gave a perfunctory warning about Russia's election meddling. from The Hill
The perfunctory noblesse oblige of the match's charitable component disguises the venal truth. from The New York Times
Compared with Mr. Garland's ballet steps, though, his boogieing ones are too perfunctory. from The New York Times
She made a perfunctory gesture toward the silent bald man next to her. from The New York Times
Instead, we had perfunctory mentions of "black and brown people" throughout the evening. from CNN
But S.2628 fails at even a perfunctory attempt to target foreign interference. from The Hill
The two have a perfunctory shag by the stones, then a little gift exchange. from Refinery 29
There was little beyond perfunctory in how she connected the steps to the music. from The New York Times
In another, he holds a pillow over her face while they're having perfunctory sex. from Vice
There was the perfunctory "thank you" appended to the end of his last tweet. from CNN
Up until now, the court reviews have been perfunctory, and mergers have been approved. from The Hill
While most PSP firms are legitimate, their due diligence can be perfunctory, he said. from Reuters
His last scene is so perfunctory we're left with whiplash and not much else. from The New York Times
Every mark is perfunctory and clearly placed so the viewer does not get confused. from Hyperallergic
But some residents say the notice was perfunctory, not an invitation for meaningful engagement. from The New York Times
Although she updates each chapter with new footnotes, some still feel dated or perfunctory. from The New York Times
Would it be a victory by knockout or a perfunctory decision on the cards? from Vice
Petroleum companies invest in sustainable energy research, but their core activities contradict this perfunctory gesture. from CNBC
Overall, it feels lacking in energy, and many of the subplots have a perfunctory rhythm. from People
The group responded with a perfunctory request for additional documentation, then left Northwestern Polytechnic alone. from The New York Times
A series of largely perfunctory steps remain before the two brewing giants are officially combined. from The New York Times
In most years, rules are confirmed with a perfunctory voice vote that takes little time. from The Hill
That made it feel sort of perfunctory, though there were some exciting moments with Carol. from The New York Times
When app makers asked for more information, responses were often perfunctory and slow in coming. from The New York Times
The baby bass, the second-most-expensive item on offer, is more perfunctory than memorable. from New Yorker
Mr. Trump briefly acknowledged Nancy Pelosi as "Madam Speaker," but dispensed with even perfunctory congratulations. from The New York Times
But in most cases, these measures are perfunctory, amounting to a slap on the wrist. from The New York Times
MetLife contacted them primarily by sending two perfunctory letters at age 65 and 70-1/2. from Reuters
Their August meeting in Bangkok, where cameras captured the unsmiling pair making perfunctory handshakes, achieved little. from Reuters
This never felt perfunctory or callous, because it's a logical way for Amy herself to behave. from The Verge
After the bombshell comes an "apology" letter — now the accused's ubiquitous and perfunctory mechanism for responding. from Mashable
Sanchez rounded the bases in perfunctory fashion, without a smile or any other signs of exuberance. from The New York Times
Some elements of the new monument feel perfunctory, like the sketched-in outlines of a park. from The New York Times
First, we had House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's tepid handshake with Trump and those perfunctory golf claps. from Refinery 29
When Biden backed Clinton for president in June, he made his endorsement in a perfunctory fashion. from The Hill
Russo, No. 22011-21960, was not obvious, and its request for argument time was almost perfunctory. from The New York Times
When they do, they've got a fairly perfunctory mark, doesn't provide them with a helpful feedback. from Vox
But none of this is explored in much detail, and what's there feels rushed and perfunctory. from The New York Times
While he got only perfunctory applause, his message resonated with some in the business-heavy audience. from The New York Times
What was missing was even a perfunctory nod to the interests or priorities of other countries. from CNN
Parading just one plus-size model on the runway can, after all, seem perfunctory at best. from The New York Times
But, that evening, he did not even exchange as much as a perfunctory hello with her. from The New York Times
These nods toward inclusion could feel perfunctory, but you don't really notice it in the moment. from Vox
Presidential campaign merchandise is usually perfunctory at best: T-shirts, buttons, maybe the odd novelty belt buckle. from Wired
Afterwards, he sheepishly waved while exiting the stage, never to return for even a perfunctory customary encore. from Vice
Amy seems like a perfunctory exercise in comparison, in large part because hers is a familiar tragedy. from Hyperallergic
The resolution feels perfunctory; Ms Tokarczuk deploys a trick that will be familiar to Agatha Christie fans. from Economist
Jeffrey Wright is a fantastic actor, and he sells these scenes even though they are somewhat perfunctory. from Vice
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN MERCHANDISE is usually perfunctory at best: T-shirts, buttons, maybe the odd novelty belt buckle. from Gizmodo
As this re-framing of the genre took place, the music took on a newly perfunctory status. from Vice
Still, most major outlets focused on Hawking's perfunctory insult, rather than his professional opinion on climate change. from New Republic
The event opened with some fairly perfunctory party business, like voting for the caucus chair and secretary. from Vice
After a perfunctory acknowledgement of what went wrong earlier in the day, it was business as usual. from The Hill
For years, making sure that amount was on hand had been a perfunctory, check-the-box assignment. from The New York Times
The Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán got perfunctory applause; the bolsonaristas seemed not to know who he was. from New Yorker
Congress has never been particularly concerned over past declared emergencies, which have continued with perfunctory annual renewals. from The Hill
Game of Thrones has a reputation for spectacular ninth episodes followed up by somewhat perfunctory season finales. from Vice
That's a large part of the reason these entire playoffs have felt more than a bit perfunctory. from Vice
Even the dancing sequences, often shot in poor lighting as if on a smartphone camera, look perfunctory. from The New York Times
That half the songs nonetheless sound like perfunctory exercises in postpunk facsimile, however, is hardly a surprise. from Hyperallergic
He offered perfunctory praise while cautioning that the test would be when Trump faces his first crisis. from The Hill
There's an unspoken understanding between both the artist and fans, then, that the concert is merely perfunctory. from Vice
Personnel evaluation systems were essentially nonexistent, with nearly all teachers being rated "satisfactory" after a perfunctory review. from The New York Times
Rather than compute 12.246 times 54.392, they will give you the perfunctory answer to 12 times 54. from The New York Times
More troubling is the perfunctory history of AdWords, the core monetization engine that underpins Google's financial success. from The New York Times
The plot is twisty in a perfunctory way, the action predictably explosive, the sought-after exhilaration nonexistent. from The New York Times
"Perfunctory is putting it kindly," Vietor's Pod Save America colleague and former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau replied. from Business Insider
Ms. Klassman was talking about the kind of glamour that makes showering seem a dully perfunctory rite. from The New York Times
Her initial statement, which both she and Pratt posted on their respective social media, was just as perfunctory. from Refinery 29
At the rally there was some bashing of the United States, but it felt more perfunctory than strident. from The New York Times
The genre, though enormously popular at the time, quickly developed a reputation for obtuse puzzles and perfunctory mechanics. from Vice
The apps, as well as Voice Memo and Home, are as perfunctory as cross platform apps can be. from Gizmodo
The movie is a bit perfunctory in the way it introduces us, briefly, to some of the passengers. from People
On previous albums, when distorted riffage signaled candid personal expression, Paramore were direct to the point of perfunctory. from Hyperallergic
If it was anyone else it would seem like perfunctory stage banter, but coming from Elverum it's gutting. from Vice
By contrast, the anti-poverty rhetoric I'm hearing from Ryan's Democratic critics seems sort of conventional and perfunctory. from The New York Times
And the thing is, their expressions looked like pure joy rather than perfunctory, official going-through-the-motions. from Refinery 29
He later issued a perfunctory apology, but never officially retracted his remarks about Unsworth being a sex criminal. from Vice
"This is really a perfunctory motion," as Joshua Huder, a congressional affairs expert at Georgetown University, put it. from Vice
And Cohen hasn't offered much beyond perfunctory statements in response to repeated revelations about the payoff to Daniels. from CNN
"The content of the exchange is, as you can see completely innocuous and perfunctory," Stone told The Times. from The Hill
But after 20 years of more perfunctory contact, your pain is probably more existential than focused on him. from The New York Times
In the rosy glow of victory, some of the call-and-response chants seemed more perfunctory than passionate. from The New York Times
She dismissed the reviewing in American newspapers and magazines as tepid, perfunctory, shallow and, in a word, noncritical. from The New York Times
To call its narrative progression perfunctory seems inadequate — at times the film comes across as almost outright disinterested. from Hyperallergic
Perhaps he considers the familiar nature of such perfunctory folk-rock a comfort in the world described above. from Hyperallergic
The episode handled Arie and Lauren's "love story" in a perfunctory manner before turning the focus back to Becca. from Refinery 29
Since the major parties typically identify a nominee prior to their respective conventions, this process is usually considered perfunctory. from CNBC
In spite of the occasional, perfunctory 'I may be wrong,' all asserters defend their positions like wolverines their cubs. from The Hill
But Beyoncé's superior release this year, "Homecoming: The Live Album," only received a perfunctory nomination for best music film. from Business Insider
The lawyers say Payless representatives routinely sent a perfunctory message saying, in effect, Tough luck: You owe the money. from The New York Times
Though the president made some perfunctory remarks praising the U.N.'s good deeds, his stance was much more confrontational. from The Hill
The problem is that the letters for sale are often boring, perfunctory notes valued mainly for the famous signature. from The New York Times
They have been strikingly silent since she came forward, with her father offering only a perfunctory statement of support. from The New York Times
Hard to argue with that, but the complex underlying policy issues raised could have used a less perfunctory treatment. from The New York Times
In a tweet, Mr. Trump offered Mr. Mattis perfunctory thanks and promised to name a new defense secretary soon. from The New York Times
The explaining is perfunctory: Terrorists killed his fiancée on a beach in Ibiza the day he proposed to her. from The New York Times
In this way, support for disability rights is similar to the act of expressing perfunctory thanks to military veterans. from The New York Times
As is typical with Biden, the applause after an hour of stump speech and questions was affectionate yet perfunctory. from New Republic
But our current political environment keeps reminding us that a disavowal can also be something else: perfunctory, meaningless, phony. from The New York Times
The shots are perfunctory, designed to give us just enough information to keep following the story and nothing more. from Vox
Otherwise, these songs are perfunctory sketches, studio scraps cobbled together because West decided it was time for an album. from Hyperallergic
Koepka, meanwhile, quietly and flawlessly went about his business almost ignored by the spectators, receiving perfunctory applause for his efforts. from Reuters
They suggest certain character beats that are either paid off in the most perfunctory manner possible or not at all. from Vox
" April, 220 "Alejandro," the third single off The Fame Monster, is perfunctory nothingness vaguely redolent of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita. from Vice
But one got the sense that the Vietnamese elements were perfunctory, added only to allow the exhibitions to claim inclusion. from The New York Times
Federal law requires only a perfunctory background check, and the employee handling the background form may be an untrained clerk. from The New York Times
When they receive papers, the journals often accept and publish them immediately, with a perfunctory review or none at all. from The New York Times
In Ms. Gibbs's case, court and state records indicate an ill-prepared park and a perfunctory review after the accident. from The New York Times
"After a perfunctory greeting, Elizabeth turned her attention back to the radio," he writes in The Crown, The Inside History. from People
The employee, who asked to remain anonymous to describe confidential internal matters, added that the inquiry appeared to be perfunctory. from The New York Times
Mr. Pavone plays the bass with a sturdy hand and a beginner's mind: Nothing feels rote or perfunctory or overdetermined. from The New York Times
Hellman, who has studied the judicial misconduct process for decades, speculated that Tymkovich would not issue a brief, perfunctory, order. from CNN
The least successful Into the Dark installments feel perfunctory, a compendium of horror clichés strung together to complete an assignment. from The Verge
Thomas relegates the ecosystem that covers some 103 percent of the Earth's surface — the ocean — to a few perfunctory mentions. from The New York Times
It is a perfunctory move, but one that will allow Japanese players to continue to come to the major leagues. from The New York Times
Beyond a perfunctory nod to his predecessors in the White House, Trump did little to reassure Americans opposed to his candidacy. from CNBC
"This is an agency that just does surface-level or perfunctory investigations on all of these complaints," McKinney told BuzzFeed News. from Buzzfeed News
The film has all the expense and spectacle it needs, but the performances range from perfunctory and fine to downright engaging. from The Verge
He didn't even resort to the perfunctory political move of praising teachers who had made a difference in his own life. from Vox
A McConnell spokesman said the senator had spoken by phone with Garland and would not hold a "perfunctory meeting" with him. from Reuters
Baldwin deserves some credit for advancing a more menacing depiction of Trump, but his take is still slap-dash and perfunctory. from New Republic
It eventually dribbles away in a final, perfunctory flash-forward that feels hastily tacked on, even though it's in the novel. from The New York Times
The intriguing Lady Crane, who seemed as if she could become more significant, was killed in perfunctory fashion by the Waif. from The New York Times
Impeachment barely came up at all, save for a perfunctory exchange about 10 minutes before the end of the second debate. from The Hill
But the pre-Trump status quo, of perfunctory deferred prosecutions and no jail terms for financial fraudsters, was itself a scandal. from New Republic
In a couple of places, he mentions that his brief exile made him a better father, but it's all terribly perfunctory. from The New York Times
The candidates on the general-election stage, until now, were always men, and discussion of the sexes tended to be perfunctory. from The New York Times
The rejection letters were perfunctory and often cited a failure to show severe economic harm, without saying how that was defined. from The New York Times
Have we discussed the way all of Trump's regular Democratic targets — except with the perfunctory nod to Chuck Schumer — are women? from The New York Times
Mr. Buttigieg doesn't speak in the television ad he's airing in South Carolina other than the perfunctory approving of the message. from The New York Times
But Trump was reluctant to even give this perfunctory approval to a deal that he had consistently opposed as a candidate. from CNN
A motion by an out-of-state attorney to appear pro hac vice is usually the most perfunctory aspect of any litigation. from Vice
Haryana's debates are so perfunctory that its legislators managed to pass 14 bills in just 90 minutes at one point this year. from Economist
The president made some allusions to events in Washington, but his attacks on a "witch hunt hoax" were brief and somewhat perfunctory. from The Hill
McConnell spokesman Don Stewart invited Democrats to allow the current bill to pass by unanimous consent at a perfunctory session on Friday. from Reuters
It'll perform other perfunctory tasks, like adding groceries to our shopping list, checking the weather, sending a text, or ordering an Uber. from Wired
The awards touched on Trump, as everyone knew they would, but in a perfunctory way, and that made it not very fun. from New Republic
Which isn't to say these parts of the game outright bad, they're perfunctory—a brief, interactive set piece in-between story beats. from Vice
At evening's end, when Ms. Alden gave him a perfunctory pat on the back, he was well aware he had blown it. from The New York Times
I frequently hear other students remark: "It's only English class," when they hand in a perfunctory essay or a slapped-together poem. from The New York Times
It's often a perfunctory gesture that allows people to hold their own opinion while convincing themselves that they are being open-minded. from Business Insider
The perfunctory quality of the show's opening line also indicates that "Narcos" isn't going to make any significant adjustments from last season. from The New York Times
As DHS secretary, Kelly instated a stricter interpretation of TPS statute, altering a tradition of perfunctory renewals dating back to the 1990s. from The Hill
Baldwin began his Trump routine promising "I'm going to be so good tonight," before issuing a perfunctory response on jobs and economics. from Reuters
That source called the subpoena "largely perfunctory" and said much of it will be "duplicative" of documents the special counsel already has. from CNN
Laverne Cox can't do a whole lot in her perfunctory role as a local TV news reporter covering the homecoming queen competition. from The New York Times
Or will the training Brigades add a professional methodology to the Army's often slapdash, perfunctory and unsystematic, attempts at establishing "allied" armies? from The Hill
Many video-game stories are perfunctory affairs; the only purpose of the plot is to give a basic motivation for the action. from The New York Times
They've accepted a perfunctory denial from Mark Judge, a friend of Kavanaugh's who Ford alleges was in the room when she was assaulted. from Vox
The testimony ends, the ICE attorney defers to the court, asking a few short, perfunctory questions, and the judge immediately grants Yoli asylum. from Buzzfeed News
In fact, most of the show's seasons that haven't overlapped with a presidential election cycle have only touched politics on fleeting, perfunctory occasions. from Vox
The only counseling they recalled was from a psychologist hired by the university who spent a perfunctory amount of time with each student. from The New York Times
A later Reuters investigation amassed evidence that suggested officers were summarily gunning down drug suspects and performing perfunctory crime-scene investigations and autopsies. from Reuters
Women do exist in this dark-sided universe, but they must stay silent unless they are prompting male characters along with perfunctory dialogue. from Vice
But it also marked a turning point in Theron's career when, having accumulated sufficient industrial capital, she began to refuse perfunctory PR niceness. from Buzzfeed News
And perhaps it was the extreme slightness of Kubrick's script—the perfunctory quality of its dialogue—that gutted the novel's wordy, exuberant heart. from Vox
The animals, synced with the actors' voices, walk through their predetermined paths with a perfunctory stride; the environments look impressive but not breathtaking. from Wired
President Trump's rather perfunctory statement yesterday on the new wave of anti-Semitic attacks is earning him some qualified praise in the media. from New Republic
They took a hostage: the Farm Bill, typically a perfunctory (if deeply flawed) effort that unites agricultural subsidies and the food stamp program. from New Republic
There are moments when Barrett seems aware of the inconsistency, but the occasional attributions ("according to Harry" and so on) seem rather perfunctory. from The New York Times
Much of the country was astonished that the New York real-estate developer had pounced on a seemingly perfunctory invitation from its president. from The New York Times
Watch: More of a punch line than soda at this point, Mountain Dew seemed an obvious, if not perfunctory sacrifice for the bong. from Vice
It's a devil — a potential silent assassin — that floats perniciously in the air, or in a perfunctory handshake, or even a riotous laugh. from The Hill
The perfunctory depth doesn't detract from the terrific aplomb of the figures, but it sabotages the unitary power to which the picture aspires. from New Yorker
But this popular notion commits itself to a perfunctory metaphor—that ideas are pathogens passed from one mind to the next upon exposure. from Wired
In some cases, the justifications used by agents to obtain letters were found to be "perfunctory and conclusory," or convenient and inherently flawed. from Gizmodo
TPS The Trump administration's handling of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has upended decades of Republican and Democratic administrations' perfunctory renewals of the program. from The Hill
But more often than not, when celebrities do take to the internet to clarify their relationship, the reveal is brief, perfunctory and tightly controlled. from Refinery 29
You can imagine, though, that these perfunctory releases might take on a whole other significance and value to someone interested in, say, insider trading. from Wired
The retirement was quietly announced in rather perfunctory form as part of Nintendo's financial results, but Eurogamer noticed and put together a little retrospective. from TechCrunch
Winners' speeches seemed largely rote and perfunctory, and when the inevitable references to politics arrived, they, too, frequently felt world-weary rather than revolutionary. from Vox
Slim has made few public statements since Lopez Obrador took office in December, beyond offering some perfunctory words of support for the new government. from CNBC
West never acknowledges the epidemic of violence toward black trans women, and the single sentence about Booker feels perfunctory to the point of offensiveness. from The New York Times
It's too self-serious to rejoice in the spectacle it means to portray, but too perfunctory and formulaic in its execution to be affecting. from Vice
It's a pity that the omakase ends with unagi in a sauce as cloying and perfunctory as at any middling sushi bar across America. from The New York Times
And while there remain ongoing concerns about the administration's own preparedness and response to the outbreak, Pence has received perfunctory praise for his coordination. from CNN
All sought his benediction, but when Mr. Biden took the stage and began by saying hello to "my old friend," it didn't sound perfunctory. from The New York Times
We urge readers not to let Moser's perfunctory and dismissive review dissuade them from picking up this valuable contribution to the literature of translation. from The New York Times
You might indulge the kid, but if it's late enough in the day, you'll do the most perfunctory swing imaginable through the primate house. from Vox
The camera lingers on Jamie as he leaves, with the gunshot coming fast and the perfunctory "next" from the British officer coming even faster. from Mashable
But that isn't true of the Sand Snakes, whose desire for vengeance feels like a perfunctory echo of Ellaria's, and as such lacks teeth. from Vox
This is why the "we're sad about Glenn and Abraham's deaths" montage at the end of the premiere seems so perfunctory, so tacked on. from Vox
They may, in the case of Judge Merrick Garland, refuse to hold hearings or, following perfunctory hearings, simply vote to reject any of Clinton's nominees. from Vox
Such lists are almost guaranteed to fail, given how individualistic people's tastes and desires are, and how forced it sounds to rattle off perfunctory smarm. from Vice
This approach shaves the narrative contours of women's lives down to the perfunctory waystations of love, childbirth, and the disappointments of infertility and old age. from Hyperallergic
So now, he can muse disinterestedly about one of the worst nights of Sansa's life, or send Meera off with barely a perfunctory thank you. from Vox
It became a perfunctory pleasantry, like the word "please," sent by a boss whose superior status meant she by no means had to ask nicely. from Mashable
Wolff-Rodda's email was perfunctory, a professional heads-up that asked Pellman if he had any questions and promised to follow up after the workshop. from Vice
Even Celeste's ultimate courtroom victory feels perfunctory, its moments of poignance and dramatic irony weighted down by the season's palpable disinterest in its own characters. from Vox
The "Bourne's dad was maybe evil?!" plot feels so perfunctory that it's a surprise any of the actors can play it with a straight face. from Vox
"First up a big congratulations to Vladimir Putin," Baldwin said, after a perfunctory "Fox News" themed setup starring Leslie Jones as "Outnumbered" anchor Harris Faulker. from Mashable
This basic character structure can still be effective—and it's certainly preferable to the thudding dipshittery of the DC movies—but it can feel perfunctory. from New Republic
The ladies have ganged up on Olivia for "being aggressive" and "getting roses," so Ben leads her away for a perfunctory what's-your-deal chat. from Refinery 29
It all felt a little perfunctory, like this was the point in the story where Offred was supposed to fall for Nick, so she did. from Vox
" But Mr. Cruz's statement went beyond the perfunctory, praising the policy aims and recent campaign promises of a man he once called a "pathological liar. from The New York Times
"All the silly, cryptic marks of humans who were resigned to being held in a place, shunted through the perfunctory order of things," she writes. from The New York Times
He has offered the most perfunctory promises of Supreme Court nominations and "pro-life" principles, but rarely talks about their major issues, particularly religious freedom. from The New York Times
Too often, however, required education is treated as a perfunctory curriculum obligation, sandwiched in a lesson plan about World War II or modern European history. from CNN
He is in control, but not explosive; he can shoot, but he is not lethal; he can dribble, but his driving is perfunctory and harmless. from Vice
Advisers who favored Mr. Giuliani believed Mr. Trump could send a unifying message by holding a perfunctory meeting with a vocal critic like Mr. Romney. from The New York Times
The pair then met behind closed doors and emerged to briefly address reporters with warmer words of mutual support, albeit delivered in a perfunctory manner. from CNBC
But he does so in perfunctory language, rarely turning his fire on Mr. Putin himself and instead making unfavorable comparisons to his predecessor, Mr. Obama. from The New York Times
The music here was almost perfunctory, instead the focus was the setting; the opportunity to decompress over drinks and fairy lights – and that's just fine. from Vice
But Judge Richard Berman turned what could have been a perfunctory hearing into a venue for the women to share what was on their minds. from CNN
Mr. Trump made perfunctory references to Yemen on his trip, but mostly to praise the Saudi war effort and condemn Iran for supporting militant groups. from The New York Times
After a brief, perfunctory phone call with the woman, the narrator focuses his mourning exclusively on the loss that he and his family contend with. from The New York Times
Many writers have mixed feelings about author tours, which all too often, especially these days, feature perfunctory encounters with anemic crowds in half-empty bookstores. from The New York Times
They seem to materialize instantly with state-of-the-art instruments, and — after a perfunctory 20 seconds or so of cacophony — they're playing like pros. from The New York Times
The Streamline court in Pecos is notorious among immigration attorneys, who say it conducts little more than perfunctory show trials and treats immigrants with little respect. from Buzzfeed News
After a perfunctory trial, which could last all of three to five minutes, prisoners were taken to the left or to the right: imprisonment or execution. from New Yorker
" At a rally in Wisconsin, on Wednesday, the President reacted to the news of the multiple bombs with a barely perfunctory call for a "civil tone. from New Yorker
But chemistry matters with a nominee, and while the mood was warm between Mr. Corker and Mr. Trump on Tuesday evening, it was at best perfunctory. from The New York Times
After the perfunctory search, I entered the small cell and sat about a foot away from Mr. Veiga, close enough to notice his breath smelled fresh. from The New York Times
But what's been more distressing to watch than Trump's perfunctory behavior has been his lack of self-awareness about how his actions affect his own team. from The Hill
The group was led into a hangar, where authorities gave them a perfunctory welcome: a hello, a snack and bus fare to wherever they were headed. from The New York Times
But apart from some Turkish officials' perfunctory statements on the potential for a thaw with Egypt, the country has remained conspicuously off of Erdoğan's reconciliation agenda. from The Hill
Human rights groups say the perfunctory trials are sweeping up bystanders and relatives as well as fighters, in a process more concerned with retribution than justice. from The New York Times
In the 109 parole hearing transcripts reviewed by The Times, Compas scores were usually given a perfunctory mention but rarely appeared to be the deciding factor. from The New York Times
When the question is posed, she offers a perfunctory "This" — meaning Win — "is my job," which, it is worth pointing out, is hardly an insistent denial. from The New York Times
After the meeting, Trump and Ryan issued a perfunctory statement declaring it "a very positive step toward unification," but Ryan declined to issue a formal endorsement. from New Yorker
It's jarring to see all these Bloomberg ads that suggest Obama has endorsed him, especially considering how...perfunctory his endorsement of Obama was back in 2012. from Washington Post
"French Money (Nero)" (1962) underscores Pop Art's provincial limitations (does only American popular culture count?), while painterly flourishes enhance the usual perfunctory look of the genre. from Hyperallergic
Still, Edwards says he's "waiting for the pendulum to swing back" toward design work that makes for better movie advertising that's artful instead of lazy and perfunctory. from The Verge
As for Philip, his goodbye with Elizabeth is perfunctory, and he doesn't understand why until opens his suitcase, where he finds the gift, and also a note. from Refinery 29
Since my building provides only a perfunctory monthly exterminator visit, I hired my own pest-control expert to "mouse-proof" the apartment, as well as an exterminator. from The New York Times
"I don't have the patience for the butchery that occurs here," he says during what should be a perfunctory court appearance, raising the ire of the judge. from CNN
"We can't have some kind of a perfunctory investigation just to give cover to some wavering senators," Senator Mazie K. Hirono, Democrat of Hawaii, said on CNN. from The New York Times
Questions from the government panel were perfunctory, typically one per witness, and it seemed to him that the decision to levy the tariffs had already been made. from The New York Times
What many people believed would be a perfunctory meeting with Mr. Romney last weekend at Mr. Trump's golf club in Bedminster, N.J., turned into something more substantial. from The New York Times
Vladimir Putin served up his election platform for his perfunctory March 18 re-election in his annual address to the two houses of Russia's parliament on Thursday. from The Hill
Mr. McCarthy's office said that the encounter was random, and that the conversation was brief and perfunctory, and noted that Mr. McCarthy has supported sanctions against Russia. from The New York Times
Yet if a vacancy remains, a president could make a recess appointment anytime the Senate is in recess for more than three days without holding perfunctory sessions. from Vox
Word around the city is that where marriages in the old city bureau were perfunctory, inside the renovated space on Worth Street the ceremonies are spirited and moving. from Vox
And in spite of the perfunctory corporate protestations to the contrary, it doesn't take a market specialist to know who the beneficiaries of such a deal will be. from Mashable
After the producers exulted in the movie's elevation to cultural sensation in the earlier sequels, though, everything about "Sharknado" feels more perfunctory, including its by-now obligatory cameos. from CNN
"He seemed perfunctory, looked gaunt, didn't seem to captivate the crowd," said Jon Ralston, a veteran political commentator in Nevada, who attended the Las Vegas event last Friday. from The New York Times
And yet given the tedious, perfunctory quality of most release notes — "This app has been updated with bug fixes and performance improvements" — Medium's slapdash poetry was undeniably refreshing. from The Verge
It hits the perfunctory notes of straight-ahead hot-kids-in-creepy-forest horror, but adds elements of "Scream"-style self-consciousness and "Wet Hot American Summer" nostalgia. from The New York Times
And she strained to make a persuasive case for herself as a champion of the economically downtrodden after delivering perfunctory paid speeches that earned her millions of dollars. from The New York Times
There is a court case involving the three cops, but Boal and Bigelow deal with it in a perfunctory fashion, and the legal upshot comes as no surprise. from New Yorker
Like the perfunctory stories of the run-and-gun shooters it cribs aspects of design from, it's pulpy enough that it never really needs to be taken seriously. from Vice
The shareholder meetings, which are scheduled to take place simultaneously at the New York Hilton, are required under securities law, but the business conducted will be rather perfunctory. from The New York Times
Red lines were breached, the perfunctory calls for the dictator to step down were made, and the thirst for moral outrage was quenched, as people continued to die. from The New York Times
In July, when Liu Xiaobo died in government custody, foreign governments and heads of state issued perfunctory messages praising and mourning him, but the global reaction was muted. from The New York Times
Steamed salmon with snow peas and spicy soy sauce reminded me of all the perfunctory, umpteenth-generation Asian fusion dishes that made everybody lose interest in the genre. from The New York Times
The manufacturing council, for whatever it's worth, will continue to function in the perfunctory "for show" way it would have with or without the CEOs who have bolted. from CNBC
Mrs Merkel's CDU manifesto is a perfunctory list of modest correctives, like 15,000 more police officers, increased child benefit, a new digitisation tsar and tighter rules on dual citizenship. from Economist
During a Facebook Q&A with fans yesterday, Johnson's perfunctory answer to whether he'd fight Cruz or McGregor (or probably Stipe Miocic) was the same: if the money's right. from Vice
When Trump finally released a statement Thursday evening on President Barack Obama's newly announced sanctions, the president-elect's remarks were every bit as reluctant and perfunctory as you'd expect. from New Republic
Something like X-Men: Apocalypse may think it only needs to do the most perfunctory moments of character development because there have been so many other X-Men films. from Vox
And what was so striking about the Thursday night Trump–Hannity interview at the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas, is how perfunctory the script and the performance is. from Vox
Kalder waits until the very end, past sometimes perfunctory synopses of other writers and regimes, to get to Turkmenistan, where his prose becomes suddenly luminous, elegiac, and even moving. from New Republic
But these diplomatic sources say there's now an expectation that Trump will be perfunctory about it, acting because of political pressure, and little development is expected on either topic. from CNN
Judge Griffin said Judge Dlott's analysis of Kia's trade secret assertions was too perfunctory and that she didn't delineate clearly enough between the two prongs of the unsealing inquiry. from Reuters
Ariana Grande: Sweetener (Republic) Until now, Ariana Grande has been the kind of perfunctory pop diva who may or may not score one or two memorable songs per album. from Hyperallergic
The organization would remain mostly silent in the immediate days after a mass shooting, issuing perfunctory statements expressing sympathy for gun-violence victims and denouncing "politicization" of mass shootings. from CNN
Just like stock in a dollar shop, there's an astonishing range of quality: Some offerings appear perfunctory and flimsy, while other works — the true bargains — thoughtfully engage the assignment. from The New York Times
None are especially profound, and nostalgia trips to the 1950s and '60s have been so numerous in recent years that a lot of what's here seems tired and perfunctory. from The New York Times
What also dashed their hopes was the manner in which the P.M.L.N. and the P.P.P. unconditionally and hastily approved the law without even a perfunctory debate, let alone dissent. from The New York Times
When predators are accepted back into their professional spheres with little more than a slap on the wrist, perfunctory chastisement, it imposes a compromise on everyone they work with. from CNN
When you have a mental illness, even the most perfunctory daily tasks can feel like mountains to climb, let alone making important phone calls or filling out complex paperwork. from CNN
Amazon, which typically takes a perfunctory view of such employee outcry, has so far given no indication that it will reconsider providing services to Palantir and other law enforcement agencies. from Buzzfeed News
He would also become the only person arrested and prosecuted for any one of the shootings — a conviction he is appealing, insisting that he was railroaded by detectives' perfunctory investigation. from Buzzfeed News
The one awards show where celebrities can get a bit loose with their fashion statements and show up in something besides the perfunctory designer gown (ladies) or penguin suit (gents). from Refinery 29
The answer to those questions is simply that I don't feel like the little thumbs up, or the perfunctory tap to activate it, has ever accurately illustrated how I feel. from Mashable
Clinton only emerged this week to address the American Legion's national convention in a speech about "American exceptionalism" that received perfunctory coverage by the press and passed with little notice. from The Hill
A congressional probe in October said $11 billion was missing from PDVSA, and critics say arrests linked to corruption are perfunctory and do not tackle the roots of the problem. from Reuters
In certain progressive circles, in online commentary and in much of the national media, the history-making aspect of Mr. Buttigieg's campaign often warranted only a passing and perfunctory mention. from The New York Times
There is the barest germ of an animating idea in "Menendez" — the wealthy buy justice and get automatic benefit of the doubt from the police — but it's perfunctory and blunt. from The New York Times
In order to identify eligible victims, the Pentagon needs to improve the accuracy of its own airstrike data and overhaul the often perfunctory way it investigates reports of civilian casualties. from The New York Times
The leadership vote is usually just a perfunctory agenda item that has, in the past, resulted in more than 90 percent of the delegates voting to endorse the existing leader. from Vice News
Here in Unionville, the disclaimer was little more than a perfunctory aside—the pretense of neutrality evaporated just a few sentences into the opening remarks by FRC president Tony Perkins. from New Republic
That's an almost perfunctory reaction on some level, but pay special attention to the words these professional communicators use in recalling Saunders — they are rare honorifics that speak to his influence. from Mashable
While it's fun to see a wide range of dealers and collectors, some of the portraits feel perfunctory, as does the quick but necessary discussion of the field's lack of diversity. from Hyperallergic
Lucy studies the Greenberg siblings' upbringing like an anthropologist about to visit a society with wildly different customs and rituals including ranch dressing, newspaper clippings, and perfunctory holiday-themed hand towels. from Mashable
A Republican member of one of Mr Trump's disbanded CEO councils recalls how past administrations' meetings with bosses "felt perfunctory", whereas now "they seem to pay attention and seek company input". from Economist
Although any bandit certainly would have seen our trucks approaching, and would have had ample time to hide, we stopped anyway, and the police made a perfunctory search of the area. from Vice
Nearly 200 artists participated in The Breasts Art Show at Public Works in San Francisco, fleshing out concepts surrounding breasts, making what is often a perfunctory visual element the focal point. from Vice
After a pair of disappointingly perfunctory early episodes, "Narcos" has found the sense of purpose that will hopefully carry it through the moral torpor and savage ironies of Escobar's last days. from The New York Times
Metropolitan Diary Dear Diary: When I boarded the A train at Chambers Street, loaded down with shopping bags, I muttered the perfunctory "sorry" as I brushed the woman next to me. from The New York Times
The movie pauses just long enough to observe the Crucifixion, which, like every other biblical element, comes across as a rushed, perfunctory nod to tradition, devoid of emotional or spiritual resonance. from The New York Times
If the boos seemed perfunctory at most ballparks, they were often vigorous in Boston, especially when he was announced as a pinch-hitter in his first appearance after serving his suspension. from The New York Times
In a way, it makes sense, since men continue to dominate the arbitrary metrics of awards and accolades, while efforts at gender equality in those spheres have been perfunctory at best. from Vice
Oberlin, like many other colleges and universities around the country, has decided that campus guest quarters, instead of perfunctory, can become pampering places that help promote the institution's brand and image. from The New York Times
Thee Hounds of Foggy Notion captured the best representation of the band's early material, and the two most recent live albums, both titled Live In San Francisco, are anything but perfunctory. from Vice
He has only a perfunctory social media presence, no scandals or performative beefs to his name and, as a bit of a loner, comes unaffiliated with any existing movements or microgenres. from The New York Times
In Kim's New Year's Day address, the North Korean despot issued a perfunctory bleat of bellicosity, declaring his nuclear arsenal functional and capable of reaching the entirety of the United States. from CNBC
Katrina Kaif puts in a perfunctory appearance for a total of two songs and three other scenes – almost as if she was hired only for her sculpted body and dance movies. from Reuters
Ms. Sturgeon said the government in London did engage in consultations with representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland concerning the Brexit process, but she suggested that those interactions were perfunctory. from The New York Times
This is made worse by the fact that when he was pressed to address his problematic personal treatment of women near the launch of his campaign, Biden was perfunctory and dismissive. from Vox
But the police, many of whom had a reputation for hostility toward gay men, often carried out perfunctory investigations that overlooked the possibility of homicide, former officials and police officers say. from The New York Times
In fact, it was The New York Times and other eastern outlets - the phrase "Eastern Establishment" had become perfunctory - that had set their sights (to coin a phrase) on Palin. Why? from The Hill
It played out in the most perfunctory fashion possible, though I'm pretty sure it would have sounded so much cooler if scored by the Doof Warrior from Mad Max: Fury Road. from Vox
Following examinations conducted between 2010 and 2014, PHH was accused of mishandling foreclosures, including by failing to provide relief to qualified borrowers, and letting employees sign foreclosure-related documents after "perfunctory" reviews. from Reuters
If Wonder Woman's major special effects and climactic battles feel perfunctory, this is one movie in which you don't really need to fuss about how impressive (or not) the CGI apocalypse looks. from People
More robust historical racing options seem like a great direction for this series to continue to evolve in, but right now the mode and the handling models both seem a bit perfunctory. from Vice
Julie Bowen, who would later win two Emmy awards for Modern Family, is good as the perfunctory love interest, while Frances Bay excels as the true love of Happy's life, his grandma. from Vice
Since Blake still bothers with discrete song structures no matter how perfunctory, his music often feels aimless, caught between two modes — as songcraft, this music meanders; as soundscape it's thin and diluted. from Hyperallergic
His obituary in The New York Times made only a perfunctory reference to the 2009 scandal, pushing it to the very bottom of the story as if it were an embarrassing smell. from New Republic
However when sex is the primary concern—when it forgoes even a perfunctory interest in the music or your mates, when it becomes a "hunt"—that's when it begins to cause problems. from Vice
Vice President Mike Pence has led the charge, taking the lead on presenting periodic updates on the task force's progress and performing his perfunctory presidential praise that's become a signature for him. from CNN
Where "West Side Story" felt perfunctory, this had all the youthful exuberance and dazzle of Bernstein's early, at times daring collaboration with Robbins and the legendary duo Betty Comden and Adolph Green. from The New York Times
There was no hand sanitizer at the facility, said Dean Steward, the attorney, and he wasn't asked any perfunctory questions, such as whether he had traveled to any heavily impacted countries recently. from CNN
Gabriel vanished without a trace, and after sustaining a mortal gunshot wound last week, Eric joins the ranks of the departed this week in another tearful goodbye that comes off as perfunctory. from The New York Times
Like other foreign leaders, he came armed with business deals, including a $25 billion agreement to buy American natural gas, which earned perfunctory praise from Mr. Trump before he launched his critique. from The New York Times
He would also become the only person arrested and sentenced to life in prison for any of the shootings — a conviction he appealed, insisting that he was railroaded by detectives' perfunctory investigation. from Buzzfeed News
As McConnell alluded to Monday, Senate Republicans could make impeachment proceedings as perfunctory as they'd like, but if the House sends them charges, they'll at least have to do something with it. from Vox
But where those stories have featured largely perfunctory villains or opposition (like, say, the Masters), "Battle of the Bastards" has Ramsay, who is basically the show's heart and soul given human form. from Vox
It takes a while for her arc to tie to Ryan's in more than a perfunctory way as he tries to stop Suleiman's plans, yet it's a significant part of the series. from Vox
He and his pals could have dominated the Rucker back in the '60s, but they had a falling out, one that the movie barely explains and then patches up in incredibly perfunctory fashion. from Vox
It was a European competition only in the most perfunctory way, a meeting place for pedestrian, middle-sized clubs and embittered underachievers, with neither lot really understanding how they came to be there. from Vice
At the time, HIV experts were no strangers to well-intentioned HIV plans that fall short, be they abstinence education programs or Ronald Reagan's perfunctory and ignored Presidential Commission on the HIV Epidemic. from Vice
I'm saying that even leaving aside the logistical nightmare of moderation, Facebook is too big and centralized to address hate speech in any way that won't seem either laughably perfunctory or dangerously overreaching. from The Verge
Sometimes there's a surprise; for example, she didn't expect Kelly AuCoin's Pastor Tim to be as prominent a character as he's become, and had to adjust his perfunctory wig into something more permanent. from Vox
"There are many people who probably go a week without talking to a human being or anything other than a perfunctory 'please' and 'thank you' carried out at a 7/11," Rizzo said. from Vice
From Manchester to the White House, kids issues aren't taking a perfunctory "job well done" platitude anymore–they are demanding promises and results and will have the political juice to back it up. from The Hill
The unofficial conclusion of an unofficial trilogy of holiday-themed multistar comedy vehicles directed by Garry Marshall, "Mother's Day" has its perfunctory heart exactly where any experienced viewer would expect it to be. from The New York Times
He spent the remainder of his life doing little more than tidying his desk, as Spurling tacitly acknowledges by wrapping up those years in an appositely titled, and decidedly perfunctory, 13-page Postscript. from New Republic
He has offered perfunctory praise for a few past presidents, like Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln, and his aides cited Richard M. Nixon's 1968 candidacy as a strategic model for the Trump campaign. from The New York Times
Her droll, perfunctory gyrations and sketchy device to bust a dealer in stolen goods are worth noting, but these are upstaged by the wealth of scenes shot in the long-gone Steeplechase Park. from The New York Times
Where Eleven was propulsive and inclusive, Twelve is bogged down by perfunctory scenes of the crew cracking wise about Clooney's age and bumpkin boy scout Matt Damon's ranking in the movie star hierarchy. from Vice
Keeping faith with those who fought, suffered and died for the principles we profess to still cherish requires more than a nodding acquaintance with them, more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of their struggles. from The New York Times
And you can even feel that in this episode, which covers everything that happened between seasons one and two in perfunctory fashion but really comes alive once it's jamming up odd character pairings. from Vox
Again, you will seek bad art in vain, unless you count the crude-on-purpose banners by the California-born Chicago artist Cauleen Smith, with their perfunctory design and messages of laconic anguish. from New Yorker
We did faces and teeth, a perfunctory lullaby, I adjusted the lights so that they were low enough for Toby and high enough for Mia, and then I was back downstairs for dinner. from New Yorker
With a perfunctory suspension for head coach Meyer, Ohio State sent a clear message to the college football world: Nothing will stand in the way of our quest to win another national championship. from CNN
His goal is to keep the trial as perfunctory as possible, based on the president's and the Republicans' insistence that the process has been illegitimate and should be dispatched as quickly as possible. from The New York Times
The Senate confirmed him by a voice vote less than two weeks later, after a perfunctory 90-minute hearing during which the nominee smoked cigarettes and doodled while senators praised his legal skills. from The New York Times
The revision addressed very few of the objecting reviewers' concerns, and the changes it did provide struck those reviewers — who were asked, to their surprise, to review the revision — as perfunctory and weak. from The New York Times
McConnell told the appellate court judge that "since the Senate will not be acting on this nomination, he would not be holding a perfunctory meeting, but he wished Judge Garland well," Stewart added. from Reuters
Some are perfunctory: "I have tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy," he tweeted, unpersuasively, on International Women's Day. from The Verge
The probe has already uncovered dozens of examples of "perfunctory", "superficial" or "fraudulent" rectifications, with authorities also accused of responding too slowly to complaints and taking damaging "short cuts" in order to resolve problems. from Reuters
After denying Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland a perfunctory hearing before the Judiciary Committee, let alone an up-or-down vote, McConnell now says the public "simply will not tolerate" Supreme Court obstruction. from New Republic
Ms. Thien captures painfully well the depersonalization and numbness of living through the Cultural Revolution, particularly the "day-to-day insincerity" of casual conversation, larded with perfunctory praise for the party and Chairman Mao. from The New York Times
There were no hearings where outsiders were questioned, no meaningful floor debates — just a few perfunctory statements at public meetings and a 30-day comment period before the agency could issue a final proposal. from The New York Times
I sail through my sets at the gym, try my hand at the erg and fail miserably, as usual, and do a few perfunctory minutes on the elliptical instead before showering in record time. from Refinery 29
Cruz's push for evangelical votes was more than a perfunctory shout-out to an important Republican base: Inspiring vast, energetic evangelical support was a key strategy for the Cruz campaign, despite other Republican analysts' misgivings. from New Republic
The provinces of Henan and Yunnan, as well as the region of Guangxi, were accused of "superficial", "fake" or "perfunctory" rectifications, according to the latest reviews published by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE). from Reuters
Suitably buoyed by staving off defeat, 67th-ranked Delbonis broke in the next game and then held serve for the victory, converting his first match point to a perfunctory reception from the pro-Harrison crowd. from Reuters
The story, meanwhile, is little more than a dull and perfunctory retelling of the series opener, in which the Rangers fight Rita Repulsa, an army of putty monsters, and a hulking gold monster named Goldar. from Vox
In the TV showdown, both leaders got a couple of perfunctory questions on Brexit, then back they went to the economy, security, health, education, social care, what you might call the bread and butter issues. from CNN
Each of the pursued gets a brief monologue to explain what prompted the attempt to enter the United States illegally, but it's a perfunctory pause; the movie isn't interested in fully developed characters, just carnage. from The New York Times
If encountered on the page of a fashion magazine, she can be flipped past, her presence understood as the perfunctory salute to the surface commitment to diversity that fashion magazines sometimes flash at their readers. from CNN
We need more games that emphasise relationships based on care, based on the growth of someone else, rather than the perfunctory one-way interactions that funnel self worth towards player characters in most modern games. from Vice
The sense of isolation was on display at this month's holiday parties when he appeared for a few minutes, took a few perfunctory photographs with preselected guests and then disappeared back upstairs rather than mingle. from The New York Times
"While standing in front of the stars representing CIA personnel who lost their lives in the service of their country -- hallowed ground -- Trump gave little more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of their service and sacrifice," Rep. from CNN
The very white, very male, always-hoodie-clad club of founders was the core of the tech industry—and its members were down for some perfunctory bias training and lip service, but not a mea culpa. from Wired
But those moments were more perfunctory than Stoltenberg&aposs chattier introductions with other leaders, many of whom Stoltenberg was seeing for the first time that day after he had spent part of the morning hosting Trump. from Fox News
Its seemingly unpremeditated gestures suggest the eternal presence of the now, because Twombly neither accepts the Greek classics as a perfunctory accumulation of events — succeeding one another in time — nor as a reservoir of fixed forms. from Hyperallergic
Perfunctory anti-harassment training, which is also common, can put employees' backs up and, if it uses absurd examples, can even make them less sympathetic towards victims and less likely to see borderline cases as wrong. from Economist
A soaring, grandiose thesis statement for Grande's entire career, "God Is a Woman" encapsulates how and why Grande is the biggest pop star in the world right now — and it deserved far more than perfunctory acknowledgment. from Business Insider
" Unlike bad sex, which is often obviously recognizable, bad sex writing can be hard to define; Literary Review describes its selections somewhat nebulously as "poorly written, perfunctory, or redundant passages of sexual description in modern fiction. from Vice
West notes the summit's narrow spectrum of representation ("I did wonder if anyone at Goop had brought up the lack of diversity in their speakers during the planning stages") but, once again, her concern feels perfunctory. from The New York Times
Roundup The San Antonio Spurs swept their way into the Western Conference semifinals after an almost perfunctory yet very physical test against the Memphis Grizzlies, perhaps the most injury-depleted team ever in the N.B.A. playoffs. from The New York Times
With a perfunctory nod to the importance of free speech, Bush's State Department condemned the publication of the cartoons as "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims" and suggested they should not have been published at all. from The Hill
The perfunctory plot matters less than the scenes depicting Spenser's relationships with his old buddy Henry (Alan Arkin); his new buddy Hawk (Winston Duke); his former girlfriend Cissy (the comedian Iliza Shlesinger); and his dog, Pearl. from The New York Times
To many, the jokes feel almost perfunctory now, and the overlay of references between the Trumps' real-life actions and the stuff of horror films feels less ironic and more like a form of obligatory commentary. from Vox
" And catcher Austin Romine, who barely had time for more than a perfunctory pregame meeting with Happ, looked incredulous when informed that the 43-year-old left-hander had admitted being nervous before the game. "Happ? from The New York Times
He laid out the case in a Washington Post op-ed on Monday, in response to statements by top Republican senators, who called for a quick, perfunctory trial held in lockstep with the White House's wishes. from New Republic
On Twitter, Mr. Trump made only one perfunctory mention each of Ms. Chao and Mr. Price, the man who would most likely be tasked with carrying out some of the president-elect's most important campaign promises. from The New York Times
In other words, it's a movie that just stops being exciting, where the final action sequence is the most perfunctory gun battle imaginable, where the titular character ends up being the least interesting character of all. from Vox
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Sanders only did so in the most perfunctory way: "It goes without saying that I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals," he wrote. from Vox
Brock is given a perfunctory love interest in the form of Michelle Williams as Anne Weying, a serious lawyer who is never seen practicing law, but does wear the type of suit that serious lawyers wear. from Vox
Mr. Dobias, 37, described the lavash as the opposite of the perfunctory baguette slices offered at some restaurants — bread that may have been baked at the crack of dawn but winds up getting eaten at 8 p.m. from The New York Times
Switching between Offred in her current hell and flashbacks of her life before Gilead — she had both a partner and a daughter — Tale is relentlessly grim, tense and suspenseful, and filmed with a perfunctory, rather ugly dailyness. from People
Leadership analysis might give clues Russian defense minister: 'We won't do anything' in Europe unless US places missiles there MORE at the Group of 22019 summit in Japan, where he gave a perfunctory warning about election meddling. from The Hill
Rather than soberly debate the merits of individual government programs and fund (or defund) them appropriately, Congress is widely expected to pass — after only perfunctory debate — an omnibus spending bill that would fund government through Sept. 28500. from The Hill
And even though we're only on the second film, the murders already feel formulaic and perfunctory; gone are the creatively displayed bodies and carefully arranged murder tableaus, staged to increase the horror for everyone who finds them. from Vox
The slightly comic, alcoholic housemother, Marian Waldman, and Margot Kidder, who is also a drunk and as blatantly outspoken as the killer, and Andrea Martin and Lynne Griffin as the other victims, are obvious in perfunctory portrayals. from The New York Times
It's no surprise then that in addition to perfunctory condemnations of the U.S. airstrike from Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, the IRGC itself issued a formal press release lambasting America for the strike and praising Iraq's Shiite militias. from The Hill
"I can tell you from having heard these conversations that they can be so perfunctory as to be almost meaningless," said Mark Nadler, founder of Nadler Advisory Services, which counsels companies on succession issues and board effectiveness. from CNN
That's partly because of Eisley's performance — she shuffles a small deck of expressions and emotions — and partly because the scenes involving her embittered but protective mother (Golden Brooks) and her other African-American relatives are pretty perfunctory. from The New York Times
As a sign of this bill's unpopularity, a late-night vote allowing the bill to be heard right out of committee saw four Republicans saying no—a rare note of dissent in what's usually a perfunctory process. from Vice
And as I don't have a nostalgic bone in my body, watching stuff like the now-annual Star Wars offering feels more like a perfunctory exercise to keep up with pop culture than a joyous explosion of fandom. from Vice
Getting a full picture of the North's past nuclear activity means that the regime of dictator Kim Jong Un must agree to more than a perfunctory data dump and the destruction of a few tunnels in a mountain. from Fox News
In Arthur's relationship with his mother — if not with his neighbor crush, an incredibly perfunctory role for Zazie Beetz — Joker at least attempts to acknowledge that a "beta male" like Arthur might transfer his self-hatred onto women. from Hyperallergic
When his remarks were published by the Washington Post in October 2016, Trump issued a perfunctory apology and downplayed it as "locker room talk," but the behavior he boasted about reflects the accounts of many of his accusers. from Vox
I figured that the double hurdle posed by entering a genre and overturning that genre's dominant history would be complication enough, and that he would produce a book with practical, even perfunctory, language, and an accessible, satisfying plot. from New Yorker
Still, people close to Ms. Nielsen, who was a homeland security official in George W. Bush's administration, have counseled her to lighten up and to pay more attention to the perfunctory niceties of a not-so-nice job. from The New York Times
"While standing in front of the stars representing C.I.A. personnel who lost their lives in the service of their country — hallowed ground — Trump gave little more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of their service and sacrifice," Mr. Schiff said. from The New York Times
But you probably don't apply that same perfunctory padlock check to news sites, despite the fact that a media outlet's lack of encryption can endanger journalists' sources, expose your reading habits, and even allow censorship and tampering with stories. from Wired
When you can see the end, but you know there's still some distance left to travel before you arrive, that's when it becomes easiest to get bored with what's happening, or for a storyteller to wallow in perfunctory plotting. from Vox
The sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland—a movie that made a bunch of money, but is remembered by few and beloved by no one—feels as obligatory and perfunctory as any movie I can recall in years. from New Republic
It's become a perfunctory press tour stop for celebrities and politicians, played a critical role in historical political events, and, much to the dismay of the site's top brass, has also turned into a hotbed of hatred and bigotry. from Vice
While Netflix's original movies generally have a minimal presence in theaters, the company says "Roma" (like Paul Greengrass' "22 July") will be released on more than 100 screens worldwide — not a blockbuster rollout, but not a perfunctory release, either. from TechCrunch
The romance is decidedly the primary plot of the novel — it's the only arc that gets fully resolved — though it feels a bit perfunctory next to Leena's gleaming menagerie and the mysteries of Noc's past and the Charmers' future. from The New York Times
But the denial, as well as a Russian assertion that a bomb hit a chemical weapons depot controlled by the rebels, seemed perfunctory, almost without regard to the facts, which Western governments said pointed to a Syrian government hand. from The New York Times
"It's jarring to see all these Bloomberg ads that suggest Obama has endorsed him, especially considering how...perfunctory his endorsement of Obama was back in 2012," Pod Save America host and former Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor tweeted on Tuedsay. from Business Insider
And that's to say nothing of Caple, who films Creed II's fight scenes with a blunt, visceral quality that appeals but makes most of the movie's smaller scenes feel a little perfunctory, as if he were checking shots off a list. from Vox
There are also a few perfunctory streaming apps (including Netflix and Amazon Prime, but no Hulu) and gimmick-y features baked in, but things like Alexa-enabled voice control are not really what makes this TV worth talking about. Daytime.Nighttime. from Gizmodo
Another working paper by Mr Leibbrandt and others finds that when firms show the importance of diversity more convincingly, by including a human-sounding statement from the CEO rather than affixing a perfunctory, legalistic equal-opportunity statement, minority applications increase. from Economist
But even a perfunctory look at the history of American science shows that this hasn't always been the case—and the circumstances that pushed scientists into the public sphere in the past aren't that different from those scientists are facing today. from Gizmodo
SUBTLE MESSAGE To yuan watchers, the central bank's perfunctory actions and messaging suggest a higher degree of comfort with a weaker yuan, while the currency's stability against a basket of trade-weighted currencies is evidence it is not encouraging excess depreciation. from CNBC
Such a gesture would have been perfunctory at Yankee Stadium, but with a ballpark 3,000 miles from the Bronx teeming with Yankees fans, he was happy to oblige when they began chanting his name after he had circled the bases. from The New York Times
"While standing in front of the stars representing CIA personnel who lost their lives in the service of their country – hallowed ground – Trump gave little more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of their service and sacrifice," Schiff said in a statement. from The Hill
The startup's name was essentially dragged through the mud this week by both sides: TfL questioned whether it was an effective way of checking people out, and concluding it an example of how Uber is too perfunctory in its safety checks. from TechCrunch
Above and behind him looms a Jefferson shorn of his avowed Epicureanism and depicted as if his perfunctory expressions of respect for Cicero and Aristotle ought to be accorded more weight than his strong expressions of admiration for Locke and Bacon. from New Republic
The suit, which was filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan and seeks class-action status, depicts a broken system in which hundreds of people arrive each morning and wait for hours or even a day for perfunctory court appearances. from The New York Times
Insecure often puts its leads — BFF's Issa (co-creator Issa Rae) and Molly (Yvonne Orji) — in tough spots but much like Broad City, it takes the notion of perfunctory millennial friendships and turns into something resilient while being relatable and funny. from Mashable
"The notion that a project of such enormous proportions in a legislatively protected water sanctuary could be rubber-stamped in this perfunctory way degrades all the environmental protections the public deserves, even if they call it a park," Mr. Emery said. from The New York Times
The Cook County Board of Commissioners' Finance Committee, which is composed of the entire county board, voted 15-1 against the penny-per-ounce tax, setting up an expected termination when the board casts a perfunctory final vote on Wednesday. from Reuters
Even while I loved romantic comedies, one thing about them inevitably rang false: The women at the center of the stories were usually so focused on their work and love drama that their friendships were rarely anything more than perfunctory. from Vox
"We represent a turning point in the eyes of the Brazilian people — a turning point in which ideological bias will no longer take place," Mr. Bolsonaro said in a brief address to a packed room, which was greeted with perfunctory applause. from The New York Times
So it makes sense that "Love in Hate Nation," Iconis's peppy, pally, perfunctory new musical, set at a girl's reformatory in the early 1960s and directed by John Simpkins, embraces as many misfits as the Two River Theater stage will hold. from The New York Times
He liked to remind himself of a letter to Maya Angelou someone had found in the archives, telling her in a very perfunctory way that she could forget about a grant since she had no talent worthy of the Ford Foundation. from New Yorker
But in other ways, it's such a– Patrick: But it feels like a cultural exchange, [which] feels so profound, whereas the [the other interactions] mostly just feel like perfunctory NPC conversations you're having, with some some lore dumps around the galaxy. from Vice
"It's jarring to see all these Bloomberg ads that suggest Obama has endorsed him, especially considering how...perfunctory his endorsement of Obama was back in 2012," Vietor, a former White House national security spokesman and current Crooked Media podcaster, tweeted Wednesday. from Vice
In keeping with Mr. McConnell's preference for a fast and perfunctory trial, the resolution did not guarantee that the proceedings would include testimony from witnesses or the presentation of documents related to the Ukraine scandal at the heart of the impeachment. from The New York Times
Signs in unexpected places deliver mantras like "Enjoy the little things," and pakoras may appear, unbidden, at the start of your meal, along with an iceberg lettuce salad that would be perfunctory but for its topping of whole green chiles. from The New York Times
However, the central government still regards grass-roots enforcement as a weak link, and has launched a series of reviews into the way local officials rectify violations, focusing on what they describe as "fraudulent", "superficial" or "perfunctory" efforts to meet pollution standards. from CNBC
" Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives' intelligence committee, said Trump's speech in front of a memorial wall with stars representing CIA personnel killed in action was "little more than a perfunctory acknowledgment of their service and sacrifice. from Reuters
Given that, it seems misguided to expend so much energy on lame banter and attempts at wisecracking humor -- even in the midst of fight scenes -- when all that's really required is a perfunctory set-up to watching giant mechanized warriors bash each other. from CNN
Where the Obama administration's approach featured a hesitant embrace of Egypt's economic reform plan, on-and-off sponsorship of the war on terror, and (often perfunctory) criticism of Cairo's human rights offenses, Sisi now seeks a blank check and President Trump's outright support. from The Hill
In the same place on the raw, cold night of November 10th, Mr Sánchez offered a crowd almost outnumbered by journalists only flat, perfunctory remarks to the effect that one way or another Spain will get the "progressive government" he has promised. from Economist
"What critics said: "It's fascinating to watch all of this emotional, character-driven drama unfold against a backdrop of a battle for power in the drug trade in New Mexico ... Nothing feels perfunctory or thrown away on this show, even the smallest details. from Business Insider
Whether you see more here will depend on your mileage and patience, though moviegoers habituated to he-men (and the perfunctory she) pulverizing one another for 100 or so minutes are likely to have greater tolerance for this diversion than others might. from The New York Times
Her series of holographic plates, however, interrupts this new artistic exploration in order to revisit past themes of childhood trauma and psychosexual obsessions, while also building upon them with the medium's unique ability to incite horror and reveal the grotesque in the perfunctory. from Vice
Mutual snubs: In a decidedly chilly exchange, Mr. Trump declined to shake the hand of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who then introduced him in a perfunctory way that eschewed the more florid language that she and other speakers have used in the past. from The New York Times
The pronunciation appears to be from the French, "Knee-no," and it looks to be more of a vintage fabric, at least from a perfunctory Google search and quick stop into New York Elegant Fabrics on West 40th Street, where it wasn't. from The New York Times
The time machine transports you to other places — to an old slave cabin, a heartbreakingly perfunctory bill of sale for a black girl, the coffin of young, murdered Emmett Till, to photograph after photograph of slaves who radiate a kind of melancholic neutrality. from The New York Times
If the Lott-Daschle time allocations for various aspects of the trial are replicated next year, the motion to dismiss could not be offered until well after both sides have presented their cases over several days --hardly a truncated or perfunctory trial. from The Hill
So this remix kind of feels like a perfunctory mashup of other things these 3 artists have been up over the last few months, but it puts kind of a fun twist on a song that I disliked in its original incarnation. from Vice
Menzel's singing -- including a rather perfunctory music-video version of "Wind," as well as "The Glory of Love" and other songs -- does provide compensation for wading through the melodrama, although frankly, DVR-ing and zapping to those parts would be the more time-effective option. from CNN
"Gold has risen to highs of this rally as the FOMC provided a perfunctory yet cordial nod to doves by removing 'risks are balanced' and acknowledging market conditions," said Tai Wong, director of base and precious metals trading for BMO Capital Markets in New York. from Reuters
Case in point: after a solo vocal number, one of the performers (a perfunctory "observer" who stands in for the audience and later executes a single ballet move) jumps up from a spotlighted seat in the auditorium, clapping and cheering wildly for his co-star. from Hyperallergic
But there's something undeniably perfunctory about the escalation of their relationship, like the writers know we have to get them together, but aren't all that confident about the steps necessary to organically grow that bond, despite how perfect they are for each other on paper. from Mashable
In the middle of an olive grove, there are dozens of mounds of crumbly earth, some created only a month ago, with markers offering perfunctory information about the people who lie underneath: a name, a date of death or discovery and a date of interment. from Economist
" (season 4)What critics said: "It's fascinating to watch all of this emotional, character-driven drama unfold against a backdrop of a battle for power in the drug trade in New Mexico ... Nothing feels perfunctory or thrown away on this show, even the smallest details. from Business Insider
Driven by President Donald Trump's "America First" strategy and a preference for bilateral deals, the United States had pushed against ministers drafting a perfunctory ministerial that included references to the centrality of the global trading system and to trade as a driver of development. from Reuters
The case has garnered international attention for its mix of sex, celebrity and sports, and Mr. Kraft's decision to fight the charges has turned what are normally perfunctory legal proceedings into a high-stakes game of chicken with prosecutors and the police in South Florida. from The New York Times
I was so captivated it didn't matter that the heroine was secondary or that the wooing was perfunctory and mostly took place under gunfire while climbing the cliffs of a Greek island or escaping the Japanese in a lifeboat in the South China Sea. from The New York Times
Conversely, some Trump allies say perhaps the brouhaha about transferring articles means the president technically hasn't been impeached yet; if he already is, the thinking goes, the Senate wouldn't have to wait on the perfunctory transfer of articles from the House to begin a trial. from Politico
"Even with today's news, we can expect Trump to raise Putin's attack on our democracy in a passing, perfunctory way before again taking - or at least claiming to take - Putin's denials at face value," said Ned Price, a former national security council spokesman for President Barack Obama. from Reuters
"I thought you were an analyst," his soon-to-be nemesis Suleiman (Ali Suliman) says, but it's hard to buy his surprise — Ryan is a warrior passing himself off as an egghead in as perfunctory a way as Superman putting on glasses to become Clark Kent is. from Buzzfeed News
Of all the perfunctory quotes spooned out to reporters after Gennady Golovkin defended his middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, one continues to ring true days after Triple-G's tightly-contested unanimous decision win (114-113, 115-112, 115-112). from Vice
Stage two, it turns out, puts the player in control of a mood slime-animated Statue of Liberty, the section presented as a perfunctory side-scrolling shooter; and the third and final level is an isometric, squad-based battle against the movie's painted antagonist, Vigo the Carpathian. from Vice
"The perfunctory plot matters less than the scenes depicting Spenser's relationships with his old buddy Henry (Alan Arkin); his new buddy Hawk (Winston Duke); his former girlfriend Cissy (the comedian Iliza Shlesinger); and his dog, Pearl," Elisabeth Vincentelli wrote in her review for The New York Times. from The New York Times
Brett Gardner and Starlin Castro each had three hits, and C. C. Sabathia turned in a solid start as the Yankees kept pace with the Boston Red Sox in the American League East with a perfunctory 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night. from The New York Times
Ushered to a dais that featured his name on a placard, Ntilikina, a teenage point guard from France, sat before a sea of reporters and took part in a perfunctory pre-draft tradition: saying incredibly kind things about every team that might select him in the draft. from The New York Times
Despite the escalating political friction, the atmosphere in the hearing room on Thursday was often more perfunctory than passionate, as panels of witnesses selected by Democrats and Republicans alternately expressed concerns that Judge Gorsuch was too conservative or praised him as a well-qualified and careful judge. from The New York Times
What we've been given instead, behind the gestures and symbolism, is another glimpse at the fundamental nature of the Democratic Party, which, at its best, can be relied upon to do the safest and most perfunctory version of "the right thing to do" that it can devise. from New Republic
He was seated on the United States Court of Appeals for the 22004th Circuit on July 20, 2006, as part of a negotiated four-judge package approved on a perfunctory voice vote in a mostly empty chamber late on a Thursday in the middle of summer. from The New York Times
Toward the end, a hint of the material consequences of the pervasive corruption we've been seeing begins to creep in, with some painterly glimpses of impoverished survivors of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, but these are perfunctory enough that one suspects Sorrentino's heart isn't quite in it. from New Republic
If those conditions are met — a perfunctory requirement, given that the stadiums, hotels and infrastructure needed to host the expanded 48-team tournament are in place — the three federations asked that a final vote to confirm the hosting rights be taken at the FIFA congress in 2018. from The New York Times
Those essential questions of what solidarity might look like over the next four years and whether there might be a way to hold a mass protest without placing the demands of white women front and center, were not asked on Saturday, except in the most perfunctory ways. from Vice News
William Bibbiani, The Wrap The remake rehashes the original in a pleasing but perfunctory way: It's extremely satisfying to see these roles finally filled by non-white actors, but the movie still feels like a wholly western interpretation of one of the tales from "One Thousand and One Nights." from Mashable
Armed with a few years of Western Civ and a Machiavelli crush acquired through his undergraduate and Master's studies, he undertook the role of highbrow window-dresser, sprinkling pinches of erudition like the world's most perfunctory fire retardant over the dumpster blaze of the early Trump White House. from New Republic
If you eat that burger and those fries—a gray patty of unknown origin, squash-fried on a flat hot plate, anemic fries, some perfunctory salad, a burger bun baked some years ago, a single slice of cheese—you will feel full and bad and sort of hungover. from Vice
And a third might guide the media: Make a pact (whether or not the likes of Breitbart and Fox News agree to it) not to give ex-President Trump more than perfunctory coverage, whatever invective he hurls and however the public remains fascinated by his norm-shattering behavior. from CNN
The evacuation of Dunkirk — a moment that within the context of the movie should have vindicated Churchill at least somewhat — is mostly relegated to a footnote, and everything that follows (including the famous "we shall never surrender" speech) feels weirdly perfunctory, centered on conflicts I never quite bought. from Vox
Just a day after the perfunctory G7 meeting in Sicily, she returned to Germany and declared to an audience in Munich that the United States and UK are no longer reliable partners, and that the US in particular has "weakened the West" and is out to undermine the European Union. from CNN
Bella, interpreting for the visitors, believed for a brief moment that she could have anything—all she needed was to want—but that blissful feeling was cut short by Miss Chu, who was walking across the lawn without casting even the most perfunctory glance at the visitors or at Bella. from New Yorker
But that's not only true of Bohemian Rhapsody's racy content; everything in this movie feels like a quick sketch of what really happened, a sprint through perfunctory conversations and plot points that will connect the dots between moments in Mercury's life and the band's career to get him to Live Aid. from Vox
The first, and they warn you about this — they say all celebrities are, but trust me, you can't really wrap your brain around it until you are staring down at a strip of white scalp, bending a mile to give a perfunctory hug hello — is that she is very short. from The New York Times
These initial stages of outrage are then typically followed by a critique of the critique that can range from contradiction to backhanded assent—hand-wringing over whether the moment was really worth all the fuss, or even instantaneous nostalgia for the wild ride that has, at this point, become perfunctory. from New Republic
Caldwell and Earl do a remarkable job of placing viewers in Cee's shoes, but by the third act, it feels as if the movie is working through the perfunctory motions of how to resolve the plot machinations, rather than really grappling with the emotional ramifications of what's happened to Cee and her father. from The Verge
Most companies would probably either ignore this review or give a perfunctory, business-friendly response, but the management of Fly Club decided to take to the comment section to make it clear that they remembered the interaction differently, and the result is amusing people all over the world, reports UK tabloid the Mirror. from Vice
He also maintains a close command over his business affairs, to the extent that even Columbia Records, the label that has been Mr. Dylan's home for almost his entire five-decade career, seemed to be waiting for a cue from its famous artist, publishing little more than a perfunctory tweet about the Nobel. from The New York Times
They could, if this is too much for them, even simply state that they would no longer participate in the perfunctory shows of support for the military until each NFL owner has donated as much money as they did to Trump's campaign to the organizations Kaepernick has supported over the past year. from New Republic
I think that that sense that recovery was going to be boring personally comes from the canon of addiction memoirs in which, not exclusively, but often, the recovery part of the story is this perfunctory afterthought, after the real meat of what people bought the book for, which is the train-wreck. from Vice
We-Consent may swap contracts for video declarations of consent to engage in sex, and Good2Go relied on a multi-step questionnaire that cleared users to get their freak on, but each of these apps treats consent as a perfunctory task to check off before getting to the real fun and games. from Vice
In the last pages of the book, there is a perfunctory attempt to rouse an audience cowed by the weight of recounting so many of Trump's depredations, from his toxic failure to lead after Charlottesville to his lesser known effort to label all migrants "enemy combatants" and have them sent to Cuba. from CNN
Officers, sometimes hired with only the most perfunctory of background examinations — as Kansas officials said was the case with Mr. Sullivan — and frequently without even having their fingerprints checked, often end up in new trouble, according to a review of court documents, personnel records and interviews with former colleagues and other law enforcement officials. from The New York Times
In his first speech to the Commons—usually a chance for new members to linger on their constituency's history and character—the pinstriped MP for Runnymede and Weybridge made a few perfunctory remarks about the number of golf courses he represented before plunging into a lecture about aggregate supplementary credit approvals and cash-backed set-aside capital receipts. from Economist
Typically, teenpop albums bifurcated in this way start with the upbeat material and then switch over to sentimental mode as a way of playing a tedious authenticity game — the upbeat material codes like perfunctory product when juxtaposed against the ballads, which in turn reassure you they were only kidding with that frivolous stuff before, actually they're serious artists. from Hyperallergic
Whether the film is really Best Picture material is debatable (I found the movie to be a perfunctory slog), but its studio, 20th Century Fox, is certainly working hard to get Rami Malek, who plays Mercury, a Best Actor berth, and a win in the category at the Globes would boost his chances at the Oscars. from Vox
But it's hard not to see all of this and conclude that the only thing that annoys rich people more than someone trying to raise their taxes (like Ocasio-Cortez) is someone telling them their philanthropy isn't a moral get-out-jail-free card—and that they can't escape their pasts with a few perfunctory handouts. from Vice
He seems genuinely to like this book's main characters, even if the two men sound very similar and could be mistaken for young boys if it weren't for their perfunctory sexual encounters — with the same woman, Hadley, an ace prosecutor who's young, single and competing with her roommate over how many guys each can sleep with. from The New York Times
West Brom's fans were, slowly but surely, rejecting the brand of soccer that, just a couple of years ago, had made Pulis so appealing to the club (and which has already seen him mentioned as a candidate to lead Swansea City, another team at risk of relegation): pragmatic and perfunctory, safety-first and risk-averse, effective but unlovable. from The New York Times
But when we do, it's often quick and to the point: a handshake leading into a quick embrace (the "bro hug," as Mr. Bell Pasht put it); a perfunctory one-armed wrap around the back; or an efficient two-armed squeeze — in and out — before you each part ways, because, for God's sake, we have stuff to do. from The New York Times
Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenWyden blasts FEC Republicans for blocking probe into NRA over possible Russia donations Wyden calls for end to political ad targeting on Facebook, Google Ex-CIA chief worries campaigns falling short on cybersecurity MORE (Ore.), the senior Democrat on the Finance Committee, has described the GOP outreach on tax reform as perfunctory. from The Hill
One thing that some critics who've read Ferrante's novels have said about the show is that it can occasionally feel like a perfunctory adaptation — taking bits that sang on the page and literalizing them onscreen in a way that works for those who don't read much, but falling just a little flat if you know what's coming. from Vox
If it's genesis traced back to late 80s DIY indie-rock culture, it mutated into a three-eyed fish with a temporary Skull Candy tattoo, the world's largest collective Klout thirst trap, where industry executives glad-handed, journalists frantically created hype that lasted as long as a WeTransfer link, and major label stars parachuted in for perfunctory 13-minute sets. from Vice
So instead of a report that does a deep dive into all the ways the Russians tried to interfere with the 2016 presidential election, which the special counsel was explicitly asked to examine, we were left with a narrow and perfunctory declaration that, indeed, the Russians tried to interfere with the election, along with indictments of some Russian social media manipulators. from The Hill
Season six, despite stumbles early on, has easily been Game of Thrones' most satisfying season since its third (at least so far), and it's also by far the most conventional season, one that has by and large given fans things they want and mostly killed off supporting players in ways both tremendous (Hodor!) and perfunctory (basically anyone Ramsay has killed). from Vox
Currently, the administration is taking comfort from the Palestinian inability to mobilize international support for their bitter rejection of the plan — two perfunctory statements by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation pale in comparison to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, uncharacteristically, being unable to muster 9 votes on the UN Security Council to present a resolution condemning the U.S. plan. from The Hill
Each episode features their disclaimer: "This podcast is just part of the academic discourse we're hoping to have here in grad school and is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the department of defense or any other military entity" It initially seemed like a perfunctory disclosure for what they expected to be an audience of their classmates. from CNN
I find it safest to put on records within the 45- to 52-minute range: Kelela's Take Me Apart or Jody Watley's Affairs of the Heart work best on the days I stumble over some perfunctory step, like forgetting to turn on a burner or incorrectly measuring the amount of white wine and needing to cook it out a little longer. from Vice
The idea that the Robinsons are leaving behind an Earth that's slowly choking to death (after an asteroid impact) is compelling, and even if the scenes digging into the fissures in the marriage between John (Toby Stephens) and Maureen Robinson (Molly Parker) feel as perfunctory as possible, I liked the idea behind them — that of a troubled couple making another go of it among the stars. from Vox
After a perfunctory suspension from the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, a failed drug test for testosterone, and a release from the UFC after holding onto Mike Pierce's leg past the breaking point, last fall the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed Palhares a two-year suspension for holding onto a kimura during his WSOF bout with Jake Shields after Steve Mazzagatti tried to end the bout. from Vice
And for a writer who has so often created stories where it's all but impossible to figure out what's going on, even for Mulder and Scully, the ending of "Were-Monster" is disappointingly perfunctory — and pretty easy to guess after watching roughly a third of the episode, though Morgan's somewhat careful efforts to hide the "true" monster suggests he means the identity to be a surprise. from Vox
" Larkin, the only poet with a bust in Amis's prose shrine, lets him down in his letters to Monica Jones, the longtime, long-suffering girlfriend who deserved better than the epistolary crumbs she was made to put up with: Larkin's prose [in the letters to her] is habitually perfunctory and pressureless: "Sun still shining here, but 'not for long' I fear"; "Of course, I might have been peevish anyway. from New Yorker
The characters are perfunctory; their actions are described in galumphing style ("Hector MacQueen leaned forward interestedly"); the ethnic stereotyping is an embarrassment ("A big, swarthy Italian was picking his teeth with gusto"); and the Queen of Crime, as she is worshipfully known, cannot resist slipping into breathless italics at the prospect of something significant ( "Neatly folded on the top of the case was a thin scarlet silk kimono embroidered with dragons" ). from New Yorker
Ever since Arthur Danto coined the term "artworld" in a 1964 essay, observers of this community have been pointing out possible harbingers of its demise in real time through a variety of recycled complaints: Museums are no longer repositories for our shared cultural history, but rather opulent arenas for perfunctory entertainment; galleries have become, at best, trade dealerships for robber barons and, at worst, actual Ponzi schemes; the rising power of auction houses and art fairs has transformed artists and their trade into so much commodity. from The New York Times
"It definitely offends me personally just because Obama had made serious outreach to communities of color and even though they may have been skeptical initially and really only rallied to him once he proved that he could win over white voters, there was still lots of outreach and focus and care taken to those communities in a way that I think has been very heavy handed and perfunctory at best with Pete's campaign," the former Obama staffer, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, said. from Politico
The numbers, underscored by the stirring aerial images of crowds across the globe, might have cowed a more reasonable president and forced him to reckon with the damage his rhetoric has already done and the force with which people — his people — might resist, but Trump has yet to show the capacity to be swayed by criticism or even suggestion (although, when the president tweeted his now-perfunctory dismissal of his critics by wondering why the marchers hadn't voted, he didn't seem to doubt that there were a lot of them). from Vice News
He uses it to describe such perfunctory matters as Mexico's control of its own rail system, the opening of a tunnel under the Hudson River, the nationalizing of American railroads during World War I, a power transfer in Guatemala, the disbanding of a committee, a proposal for federal funding of canals, the appearance of a Treasury Department report, a vetoed bill in Congress, a call to form a lobbying organization, the emergence of rural free mail, the popularity of good roads, the use of science in road-building, a job offer and the desire among Latin Americans to buy cars. from The New York Times
At what point this ceases to be hardcore might be the fodder of message board debate or jostling in the pit, but it doesn't much trouble this band, which invited some outside guests to add texture: light R&B drizzles from Tanikka Charraé on "Bomb," soulful punk lullabies from Sheer Mag's Tina Halladay on "Moon," and some perfunctory bleeps and bloops from Diplo on "Right to Be." Turnstile isn't alone in its mission — it walks alongside hardcore bands like Code Orange (whose latest album was produced by Will Yip, who also produced "Time & Space") and Trash Talk, which has released music on Odd Future's label. from The New York Times