Perfunctorily for Dummies

Perfunctorily is quite a big word, but don't worry, I'm here to break it down for you in the simplest way possible! So, imagine you're doing something, let's say cleaning your room. Now, if you clean your room diligently, taking your time to dust every surface, organize your toys, and vacuum the floor, you're doing it with care and attention, right? Well, the opposite of that is doing it perfunctorily.

When someone does something perfunctorily, it means they are doing it quickly and without much thought or enthusiasm. It's like going through the motions without actually putting much effort or care into it. Imagine if you quickly shove all your toys into the closet without even bothering to organize them, or if you just run the vacuum quickly over the floor without really getting it clean. That's doing it perfunctorily.

Now, let's think about some examples to make it even clearer. Have you ever seen someone brushing their teeth really quickly, just going back and forth for a few seconds without thoroughly cleaning them? Well, that's brushing their teeth perfunctorily. Or have you ever had a teacher who gives you a worksheet to complete but doesn't really explain the instructions clearly or check your answers afterwards? That's them grading your paper perfunctorily.

So, to sum it up, when someone does something perfunctorily, they are doing it quickly and without much thought or effort. They're just going through the motions without really caring about the quality or result. It's like doing something half-heartedly, without really putting your best into it.