How to Use cursory in a Sentence

cursory

adjective
  • The mayor gave a cursory glance at the report.
  • Even the most cursory look at the organization's records shows problems.
  • Only a cursory inspection of the building's electrical wiring was done.
  • The show is cute – and sometimes cursory, rough around the edges.
    The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2023
  • In any case the review of the results here are cursory at best.
    Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2013
  • In this cursory picture, things still look good, but this is far from the whole story.
    Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 26 June 2022
  • Then there was a nurse who did a cursory checkup and wrote my name down on a register.
    Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2020
  • And any cursory scroll of the platform will likely show you fewer big brand ads.
    Clare Duffy, CNN, 22 Nov. 2022
  • But for a cursory look at where to retire in Ohio, check out the list below.
    Zachary Smith, cleveland, 8 Aug. 2022
  • Such a place demanded a conscious look rather than a cursory glance.
    Farha Mukri, Philly.com, 26 Jan. 2018
  • The school had drilled for just this sort of emergency, but this was real, not a cursory test run.
    Logan Jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, 19 May 2017
  • Even the most-cursory look at their story brings up nagging questions.
    Bill Goodykoontz, Detroit Free Press, 13 July 2018
  • But at a cursory glance, its full battlefield appears to be one of the biggest in the genre.
    Sam MacHkovech, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2020
  • This goes on all time, as even a cursory glance at cryptocurrency news feeds will confirm.
    David G.w. Birch, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022
  • And even a cursory look at data already published shows where things are headed.
    John Myers, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2022
  • Even a cursory glance at the headlines reveals deep fault lines running through our country.
    Rabbi Dan Fink, idahostatesman, 30 June 2017
  • Some school districts’ websites provide a more cursory look at their numbers — or none at all.
    Danya Perez, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Oct. 2021
  • Plus, there is coursework—done only at a cursory level due to time constraints.
    Thomas W. Miller Jr., WSJ, 28 July 2021
  • Instead, the show’s all-too-cursory text seems an afterthought.
    Edward Rothstein, WSJ, 19 Jan. 2022
  • At the gatehouse, there was usually a lone soldier on duty who would give my pass a cursory glance.
    Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 6 Apr. 2022
  • The result is an intriguing show that offers much more than a cursory look will provide.
    Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2021
  • At least stop claiming things to be true without a cursory look at the literature.
    Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 14 Jan. 2013
  • Still, 18 is worth a cursory spin, for Beck fans and tabloid ambulance chasers alike.
    Dan Epstein, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2022
  • But the state has received only cursory replies, the lawsuit alleges.
    Jay Greene, Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2020
  • As a cursory look at Android P, though, this post is probably long enough.
    Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 7 Mar. 2018
  • But the drama that surrounds the soap opera can't withstand even cursory scrutiny.
    Barbara Vandenburgh, azcentral, 31 July 2019
  • Even a cursory look is a fascinating view of the early days of Apple.
    Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, 23 Feb. 2017
  • My general understanding of book clubs had, to that point, been cursory.
    Roxane Gay, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But even a cursory glance at the news that emanates from the Buddhist world reveals a more sanguinary state of affairs.
    Amar Diwakar, The New Republic, 23 Mar. 2018
  • The divide Even a cursory glance at the headlines reveals deep fault lines running through our country.
    Rabbi Dan Fink, idahostatesman, 30 June 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cursory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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