Performative
adjective
Relating to or being a statement that accomplishes something just by being declared.
She ended the argument with a performative statement.
Often appears as...
- performative utterance
- performative action
adjective
Dealing with the role of behavior in social situations, especially behavior that is theatrical or meant to communicate a message.
The performative aspects of the protest were carefully planned.
Often appears as...
- performative identity
- performative protest
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to or being an action that is done for the purpose of showing something or demonstrating a point.
His work is a performative demonstration of his beliefs.
Often appears as...
- performative speech
- performative demonstration
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to or being a statement that accomplishes something just by being declared.
She ended the argument with a performative statement.
Often appears as...
- performative utterance
- performative action
adjective
Dealing with the role of behavior in social situations, especially behavior that is theatrical or meant to communicate a message.
The performative aspects of the protest were carefully planned.
Often appears as...
- performative identity
- performative protest
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to or being an action that is done for the purpose of showing something or demonstrating a point.
His work is a performative demonstration of his beliefs.
Often appears as...
- performative speech
- performative demonstration
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Action by Speaking
Understand 'performative' as an action done through words, like making a promise.
Saying 'I promise' is a performative act that commits you.
Pro Tip 2/3Context Sensitive
Recognize that performative statements depend on context to be effective, like a wedding vow.
The celebrant's 'I now pronounce you' is performative in context.
Pro Tip 3/3Social Force
Know that performative language can have social power, initiating or changing relationships.
Her declaration 'We're friends now' was a bonding performative.
Pro Tip 1/3Action by Speaking
Understand 'performative' as an action done through words, like making a promise.
Saying 'I promise' is a performative act that commits you.
Pro Tip 2/3Context Sensitive
Recognize that performative statements depend on context to be effective, like a wedding vow.
The celebrant's 'I now pronounce you' is performative in context.
Pro Tip 3/3Social Force
Know that performative language can have social power, initiating or changing relationships.
Her declaration 'We're friends now' was a bonding performative.
Pro Tip 1/3Action by Speaking
Understand 'performative' as an action done through words, like making a promise.
Saying 'I promise' is a performative act that commits you.
Pro Tip 2/3Context Sensitive
Recognize that performative statements depend on context to be effective, like a wedding vow.
The celebrant's 'I now pronounce you' is performative in context.
Pro Tip 3/3Social Force
Know that performative language can have social power, initiating or changing relationships.
Her declaration 'We're friends now' was a bonding performative.
Compare with
behaviouralcommunicativeconstitutivedeclarativedemonstrativeexpressiveritualisticsymbology
Never forget "Performative"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Encoding culture PIPE...
instead what we have here are the folkloric performative ritual traditions of a community reenacting itself in the context of technology that they were involved in designing ultimately why should we care about all of this well for me we live in a world where there is a profound loss of diversity in
Video examples
Speech acts: Constative...
as two separate parts of constatives and performatives. Constatives are sentences that describe something as true or false, and performatives are sentences that denote an action. In other words, a constative is, and a performative does. To help us distinguish these two parts of speech,
Video examples
What should electric...
and as highly complex performative art installations. The sounds that we envision through sound genetics allow us not only to celebrate this complexity but also to make the world a more elegant and safe space.
Video examples
Encoding culture PIPE...
instead what we have here are the folkloric performative ritual traditions of a community reenacting itself in the context of technology that they were involved in designing ultimately why should we care about all of this well for me we live in a world where there is a profound loss of diversity in
Video examples
Speech acts: Constative...
as two separate parts of constatives and performatives. Constatives are sentences that describe something as true or false, and performatives are sentences that denote an action. In other words, a constative is, and a performative does. To help us distinguish these two parts of speech,
Video examples
What should electric...
and as highly complex performative art installations. The sounds that we envision through sound genetics allow us not only to celebrate this complexity but also to make the world a more elegant and safe space.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Judith Butler
American Philosopher
To say that gender is performative is a little different because for something to be performative means that it produces a series of effects. We act and walk and speak and talk in ways that consolidate an impression of being a man or being a woman.
Quote examples
Laura Wade
British Playwright
I was the family alien. Both my parents are quite creative, but I was... appalling... always putting on little shows. I was rather a shy child, not a natural performer, but there was a performative edge to everything I did.
Quote examples
Franchesca Ramsey
American Comedian
The truth is that the performative nature of social media can turn even the simplest conversations into a WWE style cage match with emojis and Internet slang taking the place of pratfalls and over the top costumes.
Quote examples
Caroline Calloway
American Celebrity
It's not that I don't experience absolute sadness, which is very unentertaining, but I think - when I'm being really honest about myself - I think there's, like, a really performative streak in my personality.
Quote examples
Darin Strauss
American Writer
It's a very performative thing, grief. As with so much in modern life, I think there's a whole performative layer to what we do because we feel like there's a private TV show viewing our lives.
Quote examples
Irvine Welsh
Scottish Novelist
I wanted to capture the excitement of house music, almost like a four-four beat, and the best way to do that was to use a language that was rhythmic and performative.
Quote examples
Gayle Rankin
Scottish Actress
There's a misconception about wrestling, that it's really fake, but it's real, and you can really get hurt, even though a lot of it is performative.
Quote examples
Stella Young
Australian Comedian
For me, in some ways, my whole life is a bit performative and always has been - because I'm stared at and looked at everywhere I go.
Quote examples
King Princess
American Musician
When I do makeup, it's performative. I don't really wear makeup, but I use it as a tool to talk about gender and sexuality.
Quote examples
Zoe Lister-Jones
American Actress
Most actors and actresses are performative as people.
Quote examples
Judith Butler
American Philosopher
To say that gender is performative is a little different because for something to be performative means that it produces a series of effects. We act and walk and speak and talk in ways that consolidate an impression of being a man or being a woman.
Quote examples
Laura Wade
British Playwright
I was the family alien. Both my parents are quite creative, but I was... appalling... always putting on little shows. I was rather a shy child, not a natural performer, but there was a performative edge to everything I did.
Quote examples
Franchesca Ramsey
American Comedian
The truth is that the performative nature of social media can turn even the simplest conversations into a WWE style cage match with emojis and Internet slang taking the place of pratfalls and over the top costumes.
Quote examples
Caroline Calloway
American Celebrity
It's not that I don't experience absolute sadness, which is very unentertaining, but I think - when I'm being really honest about myself - I think there's, like, a really performative streak in my personality.
Quote examples
Darin Strauss
American Writer
It's a very performative thing, grief. As with so much in modern life, I think there's a whole performative layer to what we do because we feel like there's a private TV show viewing our lives.
Quote examples
Irvine Welsh
Scottish Novelist
I wanted to capture the excitement of house music, almost like a four-four beat, and the best way to do that was to use a language that was rhythmic and performative.
Quote examples
Gayle Rankin
Scottish Actress
There's a misconception about wrestling, that it's really fake, but it's real, and you can really get hurt, even though a lot of it is performative.
Quote examples
Stella Young
Australian Comedian
For me, in some ways, my whole life is a bit performative and always has been - because I'm stared at and looked at everywhere I go.
Quote examples
King Princess
American Musician
When I do makeup, it's performative. I don't really wear makeup, but I use it as a tool to talk about gender and sexuality.
Quote examples
Zoe Lister-Jones
American Actress
Most actors and actresses are performative as people.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension