Perfunctory vs Indifferent - What's the difference?
perfunctory | indifferent | Synonyms |
Done merely to discharge a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions; aspiring only to minimum standards.
* 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter VIII
* 1992 , Peter Bowbrick, The Economics of Quality, Grades, and Brands ,
Not caring or concerned; uninterested, apathetic.
Mediocre, usually used negatively in modern usage.
* Sir Walter Scott
Having no preference or bias, being impartial.
* Addison
Not making a difference; without significance or importance.
* Shakespeare
* Jeremy Taylor
* Nathaniel Hawthorne
(mechanics) Being in the state of neutral equilibrium.
(obsolete) To some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very'' and ''not at all ); moderately, tolerably, fairly.
Perfunctory is a synonym of indifferent.
As an adjective perfunctory
is done merely to discharge a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions; aspiring only to minimum standards.As a verb indifferent is
.perfunctory
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He did a perfunctory job cleaning his dad's car, finishing quickly but leaving a few spots still dirty.
- I caught the gist of what he was saying--which in effect was that he had found and captured this Galu, that she was his and that he defied anyone to question his right of possession. It appeared to me, as I afterward learned was the fact, that I was witnessing the most primitive of marriage ceremonies. The assembled members of the tribe looked on and listened in a sort of dull and perfunctory apathy, for the speaker was by far the mightiest of the clan.
p. 55,
- Alternatively it may mean that a perfunctory search is enough to ensure that a purchase is acceptable, so less search is carried out.
Synonyms
* (performed out of routine) automatic, cursory, dutiful, mechanical, obligatory, slipshod, token, unthinkingAntonyms
* thoughtfulSee also
* pro formaindifferent
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He was indifferent to the proposal, since it didn't affect him, either way.
- The long distance and the indifferent roads made the journey impossible.
- The performance of Blue Jays has been '''indifferent'' this season.
- The staterooms are in indifferent order.
- ''I am indifferent between the two plans.
- indifferent in his choice to sleep or die
- Even if one appliance consumes an indifferent amount of energy when left on stand-by overnight, together they can represent 10% of the electricity demand of a household.
- Dangers are to me indifferent .
- Everything in the world is indifferent but sin.
- His slightest and most indifferent acts were odious in the clergyman's sight.
Quotations
* , act 4, scene 1: *: Let their heads be sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knitAdverb
- The face of the Moon appearing to me to be full of indifferent high mountains...