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Lip service
01
an insincere offer or promise of support, assistance, etc.
What is the origin of the idiom "lip service" and when to use it?
The idiom "lip service" originated from the concept of making verbal expressions or statements of support, agreement, or praise without genuine sincerity or intention to follow through. The phrase signifies the act of saying something to appease or please others, without actual commitment or action behind the words. This idiomatic expression is commonly used to describe situations where someone pays verbal tribute or acknowledgment to a cause, idea, or person, but their actions do not align with their professed words.
Example
The company's commitment to diversity was nothing more than lip service, as their hiring practices remained unchanged.
The manager paid lip service to employee feedback but never implemented any of the suggested changes.
The politician gave lip service to environmental protection but took no action to address the issue.
Despite claiming to support equality, his actions showed that his words were mere lip service.
The organization's mission statement included lofty ideals, but it was mostly lip service as their practices contradicted their stated values.
