a perfunctory review

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a perfunctory review" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a review that is done quickly and without much attention to detail or thoroughness. Example: "The committee conducted a perfunctory review of the proposal, barely considering its merits before making a decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"Even a perfunctory review of the wiretap applications amply demonstrates the immense detail documenting gun-walking tactics that should have prompted senior officials in the Criminal Division to shut down the program immediately," Mr. Issa wrote in the letter to Mr. Holder, which his office made public.

The New York Times

Augustus C. Agate, the judge who signed the order five hours after the petition was filed, said through a spokesman that he conducted a "perfunctory" review of the first six pages of the filing, a level of scrutiny he believed was normal for the court's emergency section.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Justice Stevens criticized the Georgia Supreme Court for conducting "an utterly perfunctory review" in the case of Artemus R. Walker, who had been convicted of luring a man from his home, killing him for money and then trying to break into the home, where the man's wife and daughter were.

The New York Times

And a perfunctory critique of Disney World?

Vice

But the arrangement has received far more scrutiny in Washington than the perfunctory review the companies expected, largely prompted by the opposition of rival media companies, especially the Walt Disney Company.

The New York Times

Hence the biased reviews, the inexplicably delayed perfunctory reviews, the pedantic reviews making a huge deal of minor quibbles, and other kinds of unfair and upsetting reviews that we all dread reading but, unfortunately, may even find ourselves writing.

Biology Direct

Congress initially allowed many of the Class III products to receive perfunctory reviews if they were determined to be nearly identical to devices already on the market in 1976 when the rules were changed.

The New York Times

I am wary of mommy bloggers who do nothing than churn out perfunctory reviews of "great products," regurgitating product information companies post on their websites and assuring their followers that every product they promote is "great".

Huffington Post

Most companies would probably either ignore this review or give a perfunctory, business-friendly response, but the management of Fly Club decided to take to the comment section to make it clear that they remembered the interaction differently, and the result is amusing people all over the world, reports UK tabloid the Mirror.

Vice

Accountability can be difficult to connect to this annual privilege review as it is frequently a perfunctory process and is rarely linked to performance [ 21].

BMC Medical Education

A perfunctory greeting.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a perfunctory review", ensure the context makes it clear why the review was not thorough. Was it due to time constraints, lack of resources, or a deliberate choice to minimize effort?

Common error

Avoid using "a perfunctory review" when you mean to convey that a review was efficient and effective. "Perfunctory" implies a lack of care and thoroughness, not just speed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a perfunctory review" functions as a noun phrase, where "perfunctory" modifies the noun "review". Ludwig AI shows examples where this phrase describes the quality of an examination or assessment, indicating it was carried out without due diligence or care.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a perfunctory review" describes an assessment or examination that is carried out carelessly and without sufficient attention to detail. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usage across different contexts, mainly in news and science. While not extremely common, the phrase is useful for expressing criticism about the quality of a review process. When using this phrase, it's important to make sure that the lack of thoroughness is clear from the context. Consider alternatives like "a cursory assessment" or "a superficial examination" for similar but slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a cursory assessment

Changes "review" to "assessment" and "perfunctory" to "cursory", both suggesting a quick and not very detailed examination.

a superficial examination

Replaces "review" with "examination" and "perfunctory" with "superficial", emphasizing the lack of depth in the inspection.

a shallow analysis

Substitutes "review" with "analysis" and "perfunctory" with "shallow", highlighting the lack of thoroughness in the analytical process.

a token evaluation

Replaces "review" with "evaluation" and "perfunctory" with "token", suggesting the evaluation was done as a formality with no real intent.

a routine check

Changes "review" to "check" and "perfunctory" to "routine", implying the process is standard and lacks individual attention.

a desultory inspection

Replaces "review" with "inspection" and "perfunctory" with "desultory", indicating a lack of enthusiasm and care in the inspection.

a quick glance

Uses "quick glance" to replace the concept of a review, suggesting a very brief and superficial look.

a hasty overview

Substitutes "review" with "overview" and "perfunctory" with "hasty", both meaning a quick and potentially incomplete summary.

a hurried scrutiny

Replaces "review" with "scrutiny" and "perfunctory" with "hurried", implying the examination was rushed and lacked detail.

a negligent assessment

Changes "review" to "assessment" and "perfunctory" to "negligent", emphasizing a lack of due care in the evaluation.

FAQs

How to use "a perfunctory review" in a sentence?

You can use "a perfunctory review" to describe a process that lacks depth or attention. For example, "The committee conducted "a perfunctory review" of the documents, barely skimming the surface."

What can I say instead of "a perfunctory review"?

You can use alternatives like "a cursory assessment", "a superficial examination", or "a quick glance" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "a perfunctory review" or "a perfunctory overview"?

Both "a perfunctory review" and "a perfunctory overview" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on whether you are referring to a detailed examination (review) or a general summary (overview). A "perfunctory overview" suggests a quick and superficial summary.

What's the difference between "a perfunctory review" and "a thorough review"?

"A perfunctory review" implies a lack of care and attention to detail, while "a thorough review" indicates a comprehensive and detailed examination. They are antonyms.