| The relentlessness of the jokes grows wearisome, and the ending is perfunctory and trite. |
| Arliss's direction does often appear perfunctory, and his actors remembered him as a rather cold, distant figure. |
| We have sat through a showcase of set speeches by shadow ministers, but only perfunctory contributions have been allowed from the floor. |
| Some of the perfunctory descriptions they offer of the movies they sell on DVD are a scream. |
| He fails in his duty if his investigation is superficial, slipshod or perfunctory. |
| The policy of making only a perfunctory effort or symbolic gesture toward the accomplishment of a goal, such as racial integration. |
