lip service
noun
: an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds
—usually used with pay
Examples of lip service in a Sentence
She paid lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.
So far all we've gotten from him is lip service.
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1542 a treaty with Spain would have made the principality a fiefdom, but the Grimaldi’s insisted on language that at least gave lip service to their sovereignty.
—
Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 21 Mar. 2025
First, the tech world has realigned itself with the White House or at least are paying it lip service – but on the flip side, such discussions are certainly going to keep users engaged, and that may matter more than anything else.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Trump likes to pay lip service to free expression, but the case of Mahmoud Khalil is yet another example of his Administration’s repressive and casually dismissive attitude toward free speech.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
While paying lip service to Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, these countries offer no viable path for Kyiv.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lip service
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 21 Mar. 2025
First, the tech world has realigned itself with the White House or at least are paying it lip service – but on the flip side, such discussions are certainly going to keep users engaged, and that may matter more than anything else.
—Peter Suciu, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Trump likes to pay lip service to free expression, but the case of Mahmoud Khalil is yet another example of his Administration’s repressive and casually dismissive attitude toward free speech.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2025
While paying lip service to Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, these countries offer no viable path for Kyiv.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for lip service
Cite this Entry
“Lip service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lip%20service. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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