1
as in courtesies
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
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2
as in jokes
something said or done to cause laughter
his after-dinner speeches usually include the sort of gentle pleasantry that raises a chuckle
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Recent Examples of pleasantries
After the pleasantries of tribal, Teeny and Sam sit down at their stations, and Teeny immediately gets a spark, immediately makes a flame, and immediately starts adding sticks to it.
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
As the ladies settle in and gather for lunch, casual pleasantries quickly give way to playful shade—par for the course with this group.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 16 Dec. 2024
But before the clock hit zero and players on both sidelines funneled onto the field for the postgame pleasantries, a celebration was building.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Senator John Fetterman and billionaire Elon Musk shared pleasantries as the two were on Capitol Hill yesterday.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Instead of sharing a meal and exchanging pleasantries at a restaurant or coffee shop, the two men got to know each other by diving into a 45-minute workout, complete with pushups, chest presses and intense cardio.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Having a pet that needs to go outside creates opportunities to exchange pleasantries with someone at the dog park or out on a walk, Saltz added.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
As the ladies settle in and gather for lunch, casual pleasantries quickly give way to playful shade—par for the course with this group.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 16 Dec. 2024
But before the clock hit zero and players on both sidelines funneled onto the field for the postgame pleasantries, a celebration was building.
—Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Senator John Fetterman and billionaire Elon Musk shared pleasantries as the two were on Capitol Hill yesterday.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Instead of sharing a meal and exchanging pleasantries at a restaurant or coffee shop, the two men got to know each other by diving into a 45-minute workout, complete with pushups, chest presses and intense cardio.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Having a pet that needs to go outside creates opportunities to exchange pleasantries with someone at the dog park or out on a walk, Saltz added.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantries. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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