went through the motions

A form of go through the motions — To do something in a mechanical, unreflective manner, especially as a matter of routine and without commitment or enthusiasm; to perform a task perfunctorily.

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Meanings

verb
  1. pastsimple past of go through the motions
Cite this entry
APA

went through the motions. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/went%20through%20the%20motions

MLA

“went through the motions.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/went%20through%20the%20motions. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “went through the motions,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/went%20through%20the%20motions.

Source: went through the motions on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.