Which adjective describes something done with minimal effort and without genuine interest?

• A. Deliberate
• B. Superficial
• C. Lackadaisical
• D. Perfunctory

Answer: (D)

Think about language that signals a task is done more as a formality than with real engagement. Perfunctory captures that exactly: an action carried out with minimal effort and little genuine interest, as if it were just going through the motions. It emphasizes the routine nature of the act and a lack of sincere investment.

Deliberate means careful and planned, which is the opposite of minimal effort. Superficial focuses on being shallow or lacking depth, not necessarily on how much effort is put into the act itself. Lackadaisical describes a lazy, indifferent attitude, which can describe how someone feels, but it doesn’t pin the action itself to a routine or formal minimal effort in the same precise way as perfunctory.