pleasantry
23
6.0
- noun
- /ˈplɛzəntri/
- During the meeting, we exchanged pleasantries before diving into the agenda.
- exchange pleasantries
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Watch on YouTubeIt's just a minefield of of pleasantries and etiquette.
- It's just a minefield of of pleasantries and etiquette.
- But what level are performative pleasantries more like damaging than they are helpful?
- So they leave it at that pleasantries, you know, they park, they go inside for cheeseburgers.
- Like why are we having like plus exchanging pleasantries at work?
Examples
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We exchanged pleasantries over the telephone and I offered to meet with them at their modest apartment residence in a neighbouring town.
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And I get in the car, we exchange pleasantries, we start talking about Denver real estate, whatever.
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As it was, I merely passed some small pleasantry and left him to himself.
Fiction book (1993) -
The officer did not say "Hello" or "How do?" or any such pleasantry.
Fiction book (1997) -
Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, - what can I help you with?
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Plus, you know how I hate pleasantries.
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I think we're past the point of pleasantries, Janet, yeah.
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Why don't we drop the pleasantries?
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Miranda Jackson took her seat in my office and, after we exchanged pleasantries, she got to the point.
Academic text (2005) -
Inge stood by and listened while he and the professor exchanged pleasantries.
Fiction book (1999)
Synonyms
342
1.6
A polite remark that praises someone or something
1
8.6
A short funny remark or action that makes people smile
1
9.9
Light playful talk that people use to make each other laugh
1
4.6
A short teasing remark that makes someone laugh without hurting them
A quick, clever comment that is slightly cheeky
How Humorous
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Pleasantry comes from pleasant, which goes back to an old French and Latin word meaning 'to please'. So a pleasantry is a small, polite remark meant to make people feel good and keep a conversation friendly.