go through the motions

Other forms: going through the motions; went through the motions; goes through the motions; gone through the motions

Definitions of go through the motions
  1. verb
    pretend to do something by acting as if one was really doing it
    “She isn't really working--she's just going through the motions”
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    type of:
    make, make believe, pretend
    represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like
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