Other word for an empty promise (that is likely not to be held)

Question

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.

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, Jan 10 '12 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, Jun 03 '22 at 02:06

score 38 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 08 '12 at 19:57

38

I would describe such a reply as perfunctory:

performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial: perfunctory courtesy.

lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic

answered Jan 08 '12 at 19:57

score 19 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 09 '12 at 09:34

19

You might say "lip service".

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

answered Jan 09 '12 at 09:34

tomasat

426

Also "hollow promise", but lip service is better – paul_h Nov 17 '22 at 10:20

score 16 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 17 '12 at 19:18

16

I call it a lie.

edited Feb 17 '12 at 19:18

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Jan 08 '12 at 18:07

tchrist

134,759

James Waldby - jwpat7 · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-08T18:16:55.147

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".

Gnawme · Answer 5 · 2012-01-08T22:47:12.373

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]

edited Jan 08 '12 at 22:47

answered Jan 08 '12 at 21:26

Gnawme

40,887

score 8 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 08 '12 at 21:55

8

placating
boilerplate

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

trite
patronizing
mollify/pacify

(Just for some more ideas.)

answered Jan 08 '12 at 21:55

ipso

1,810

score 6 · Answer 7 · answered Jan 09 '12 at 16:40

6

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

answered Jan 09 '12 at 16:40

Kevin

7,900

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 Jan 10 '12 at 05:39
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 Jan 11 '12 at 08:01
You'd only have to explain to people who haven't seen Mary Poppins – Kevin Jan 12 '12 at 15:52

score 5 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 08 '12 at 22:35

5

What about nugatory or jejune?

answered Jan 08 '12 at 22:35

Thomas

241

score 5 · Answer 9 · answered Jan 09 '12 at 05:00

5

Let me throw in a technical term here:

lie - "2. An intentionally false statement."

answered Jan 09 '12 at 05:00

robrambusch

620

score 5 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 10 '12 at 03:37

5

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

answered Jan 10 '12 at 03:37

Julia

687

score 1 · Answer 11 · edited Oct 09 '12 at 10:33

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.

edited Oct 09 '12 at 10:33

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Oct 09 '12 at 08:26

Patrick

174

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered May 12 '15 at 16:21

0

I would brand certain such statements as falsehoods.

answered May 12 '15 at 16:21

PCARR

1,844

Other word for an empty promise (that is likely not to be held)

12 Answers12