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make a token effort

[/meɪk ə ˈtoʊkən ˈɛfərt/]
verb phrase
fazer um esforço meramente simbólico
1. To make a minimal or superficial attempt at something, often to appear to be trying without genuine commitment or intention to succeed
He made a token effort to clean his room before his parents arrived.
Ele fez um esforço meramente simbólico para limpar seu quarto antes da chegada dos pais.
2. To perform an action primarily for appearance or to satisfy others rather than for any real purpose
The company made a token effort to improve diversity by hiring one person from a minority group.
A empresa fez um esforço simbólico para melhorar a diversidade contratando apenas uma pessoa de um grupo minoritário.
NYC Slang
phoning it in
Synonyms
make a half-hearted attemptgo through the motionsmake a show of effortdo the bare minimum
Antonyms
make a genuine effortgive one's allput in full effortcommit wholeheartedly

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
fazer um esforço simbólico
Most common usage in Brazilian Portuguese
General Brazilian
fazer de fachada
Colloquial variant meaning 'do something for show'
Portugal
fazer um esforço meramente simbólico
Formal usage in European Portuguese
Portugal
fazer para cumprir as aparências
To do something just to keep up appearances

Related Idioms & Phrases

go through the motions
half-hearted attempt
for show
just going through the motions
make a show of something
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