Which word describes an action performed with little effort and little genuine interest?

• A. Meticulous
• B. Perfunctory
• C. Deliberate
• D. Wholehearted

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is describing an action done with little effort and little genuine interest. Perfunctory fits this idea because it refers to something carried out as a routine or with minimal care, enthusiasm, or sincerity—more of a mechanical gesture than a committed effort. For example, a perfunctory apology or a perfunctory nod suggests surface-level action without real feeling behind it.

Meticulous means highly careful and exact, requiring deliberate attention to detail, which is the opposite of doing something with little effort. Deliberate suggests intentionality and thoughtfulness in the action, potentially even careful planning, which again involves more engagement than the prompt implies. Wholehearted describes doing something with full energy and sincerity, the opposite of performing it perfunctorily.

So, the word that best conveys doing something with little effort and little genuine interest is perfunctory.