pleasantries

noun

plural of pleasantry
1
as in courtesies
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners "how are you" is merely a social pleasantry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 pleasantries Known for his bold fashion choices, Rocky dons a yellow fur hat in the company of a few beautiful women, exchanging pleasantries during a picnic and lying out in the middle of the grassy fields. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026 The Dallas Cowboys welcomed in the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday afternoon for a joint practice at their summer home in Southern California, but the pleasantries did not last long. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Aug. 2026 After some pleasantries, Lathan and Ahlman usually kick off the discussion, throwing out ideas that the rest of the hosts will debate. — Daniel Strauss, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026 Starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, was in the Dodgers’ dugout during the game, exchanging pleasantries with his new teammates and coaches. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Etna is a sociable fellow, but his conversations with other animals never indulge in pleasantries. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 The courtroom pleasantries represented a dramatic comedown for a strongman who once ruled Venezuela from a fortified presidential compound. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026 Meanwhile, a terse obituary for Steadman avoided any pleasantries. — Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 Mariano said of a scene in the first episode, in which newcomers made out with contestants immediately upon entering the villa without exchanging pleasantries. — Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pleasantries
  1. courtesies
  2. jokes
  3. gestures
  4. laughs
  5. wisecracks
  6. giggles
  7. witticisms
Noun
  • Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
  • With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.
    — Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of courtesies
Noun
  • The story made public an incident that had apparently given rise to jokes and gossip at the Pentagon.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Those thick locks that inspired so many jealous jokes among your friends and their balding husbands.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of jokes
Noun
  • This book forces us to consider how clothing can communicate identity without the body, or gestures, or the visage, but rather through arrangement and spatial orientation.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • One of the sweetest gestures during the Halloween season in Kansas City comes from one of the sweetest companies in town — Russell Stover.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of gestures
Noun
  • White elephant gift exchanges are a holiday party staple, bringing plenty of laughs, a little friendly competition and, of course, the occasional gift-stealing showdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Cohen is so naturally funny and quick with improvisation that there are plenty of laughs along the way.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of laughs
Noun
  • To Saubert, though, Fleury stands out much more for his skill than his opportune wisecracks.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Parton was a master at meeting wisecracks about her shapely figure with her own one-liners.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of wisecracks
Noun
  • The letter is met with snaps and giggles, as a 5-year-old Cary warns of imminent death.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Whittler kept trying to make it through the broadcast, but couldn’t contain her giggles.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of giggles
Noun
  • The result is an incredible repository of vexations, bafflements, witticisms, and brilliancies.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • The initial experience of Shakespeare’s meter leads to a world of discovery of a man who quite literally changed the world with witticisms and insight and has shaped every corner of humanity since the 16th century.
    — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
Definition of witticisms

Browse Nearby Words

pleasantness
pleasantries
pleasantry
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Cite this Entry

“Pleasantries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pleasantries. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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