performativity
noun
per·for·ma·tiv·i·ty
pər-ˌfȯr-mə-ˈti-və-tē 
pə-
: the quality or state of being performative
especially, often disapproving
: the state of being made or done for show (as to bolster one's own image or make a positive impression on others)
Why would he not be obsessed with the performativity of social media, of buffing up appearances? —
Suzanne Moore
Suzanne Moore Examples of performativity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are clichés that go along with Black performativity and expectations around that.
—Caitlin Woolsey, Artforum, 1 June 2025
What follows is a complex exploration of injustice, performativity, and intersectionality.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2025
Schreiber’s mother, Naomi Watts (who, notably, starred in Mulholland Drive, perhaps Lynch’s queerest film, which also considered the relationship between intimacy and performativity) has long championed her trans daughter.
—James Factora, Them, 10 Mar. 2025
The New Barbizon painters were serious about painting, but their adventures had a certain performativity about them.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
The Olympic website, however, says that judges score 1-on-1 battles on creativity, musicality, personality, technique, performativity and variety.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2024
Athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics battled against each other one-on-one as a panel of judges rated their performances based on six different criteria: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024
Judges will award points based on six criteria: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality.
—Heather L. Whitley, Southern Living, 25 July 2024
Judges will score them on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 July 2024
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Caitlin Woolsey, Artforum, 1 June 2025
What follows is a complex exploration of injustice, performativity, and intersectionality.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2025
Schreiber’s mother, Naomi Watts (who, notably, starred in Mulholland Drive, perhaps Lynch’s queerest film, which also considered the relationship between intimacy and performativity) has long championed her trans daughter.
—James Factora, Them, 10 Mar. 2025
The New Barbizon painters were serious about painting, but their adventures had a certain performativity about them.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
The Olympic website, however, says that judges score 1-on-1 battles on creativity, musicality, personality, technique, performativity and variety.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2024
Athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics battled against each other one-on-one as a panel of judges rated their performances based on six different criteria: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024
Judges will award points based on six criteria: creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality.
—Heather L. Whitley, Southern Living, 25 July 2024
Judges will score them on creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity, and musicality.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Performativity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/performativity. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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