37

I'm not exactly sure how to word my questions properly, but here it is: Say I receive a reply from customer support such as: "We will take your concern very seriously" But I get the feeling that this is just a generic reply without an actual possibility of the promise being fulfilled.

What do you call such a statement?

Wow, and I feared I asked a poor question. I had never dreamed of getting so much feedback, which is what makes accepting an answer so much more difficult (which is further complicated by not being a native speaker). Thanks to everyone for all the replies! I think I'll go with jwpat7's answer because it lists multiple possibilities along with explanations.

Improve this question
2
  • 3
    In italian there is the expression "promessa di marinaio" (sailor's promise) to denote a promise devoid of real commitment. The idea is that sailors are traveling around the world, changing port very often and so they can say anything (promise a young girl to marry her, for instance?) without fear of having to oblige.
    – Francesco
    Commented Jan 10, 2012 at 12:45
  • Often the answer is in the question, for example me as programmer, I added a static "empty" named method in my Promise named class with the doc-comment: "Creates a permanent, never fulfilled nor rejected Promise. ... And under other, this is useful if you intent to call fulfill(...) or reject(...) manually later."
    – Top-Master
    Commented Jun 3, 2022 at 2:06

12 Answers 12

Reset to default
15

Smarmy is a possibility; it means "Falsely earnest, smug, or ingratiating." Also weaselly, in sense "A devious or sneaky person or animal", may apply. An uncommon word that might be relevant is fugacious, "Fleeting, fading quickly, transient", if you expect support to just forget the issue immediately.

More along the line of "empty promise" are words as found in a clique of illusory synonyms: chimerical, fancied, fanciful, fantastic, fictitious, illusory, imaginary, unreal, and similarly for fictive and perhaps for tenuous, "thin in substance or consistency".

Empty promises in the sense of "say what they want to hear" often are called blandishments, which is defined as "flattering speech or actions designed to persuade or influence."

Empty promises may also be evasions, lies, sophistry. Among the senses of the latter are "an argument that seems plausible, but is fallacious or misleading, especially one devised deliberately to be so"; "the art of using deceptive speech or writing"; and "cunning or trickery".

Improve this answer
38

I would describe such a reply as perfunctory:

  1. performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial: perfunctory courtesy.
  2. lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic
Improve this answer
19

You might say "lip service".

"Verbal expression of agreement or allegiance, unsupported by real conviction or action; "

Improve this answer
1
  • Also "hollow promise", but lip service is better
    – paul_h
    Commented Nov 17, 2022 at 10:20
16

I call it a lie.

Improve this answer
10

A generic reply of this sort is what's known as a pro forma statement:

pro forma, adj. : Done as a formality; perfunctory. [AHED]

Improve this answer
8
  • placating
  • boilerplate

Onomatomaniak answered “Perfunctory”, and that is dead-on.

  • trite
  • patronizing
  • mollify/pacify

(Just for some more ideas.)

Improve this answer
6

Another term is "pie-crust promise". Easily made, easily broken.

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    That's one I haven't heard before, and the imagery is great. I'll try to incorporate that into my personal vocabulary.
    – Blue Magister
    Commented Jan 10, 2012 at 5:39
  • Excellent imagery, but it sounds somewhat contrived. I'd love to use it, but would rather not have to explain it upon every use.
    – Shalom Craimer
    Commented Jan 11, 2012 at 8:01
  • You'd only have to explain to people who haven't seen Mary Poppins
    – Kevin
    Commented Jan 12, 2012 at 15:52
5

What about nugatory or jejune?

Improve this answer
5

Let me throw in a technical term here:

lie - "2. An intentionally false statement."

Improve this answer
5

Insincere ...... ...... .......

Improve this answer
1

How about calling the statement apathetic? It seems to fit the bill quite nicely — "having little or no interest" especially in following up with your concern.

Improve this answer
0

I would brand certain such statements as falsehoods.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.