1
as in gesture
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
"how are you" is merely a social pleasantry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in joke
something said or done to cause laughter
his after-dinner speeches usually include the sort of gentle pleasantry that raises a chuckle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pleasantry
Obama also exchanged pleasantries with the incoming president, with the former Democratic leader chuckling at times.
—
Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2025
And, to cap off his WWE appearance, Scott appeared backstage in the parking lot, exchanging pleasantries with The Rock.
—Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
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
See all Example Sentences for pleasantry 
Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2025
And, to cap off his WWE appearance, Scott appeared backstage in the parking lot, exchanging pleasantries with The Rock.
—Shaheem Reid, Variety, 7 Jan. 2025
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
See all Example Sentences for pleasantry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantry
Noun
-
To cook them feels like a way to offer a small gesture of appreciation.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Luckily, there is more than one gesture to show their affection.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
While the bit was planned, some questioned whether she had been let in on the joke.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2025
-
His angle: joke about the very specific and very absurd elements of cycling, snowboarding, and getting outdoors.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside Online,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Reprinted courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Photo: Stacy Revere / Getty Images) Eric Nehm is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Milwaukee Bucks.—
Eric Nehm,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Related Articles Saldaña wore a glittering dress courtesy of Thom Browne.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The middle-school laughs made Isaiah Stewart feel uneasy.—
Hunter Patterson,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
-
The biggest laughs were earned by Murphy, who did an impression of Morgan, while Morgan played a man named Darius and Jones played a woman named Shanice.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pleasantry
Cite this Entry
“Pleasantry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantry. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share