small talk

noun

Definition of small talknext
as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of small talk Players were milling around midfield, exchanging jerseys and making small talk when Chubb appeared to say something to Jackson, who was chatting with another Bills player. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 Savvy Mercury also makes its debut in Scorpio, trading small talk for deep and slightly interrogative conversations, because this Water sign doesn’t do surface-level. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 The perfect way to decompress in between all the fashion show small talk! — Irene Kim, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026 Afterward, the experience gives you both something immediate to talk about rather than leaning entirely on small talk. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
  1. chat
  2. talk
  3. chatter
  4. table talk
Noun
  • The panel Marini was speaking on, ‘Unlocking the Global Potential of Japanese IP’, organized by the Motion Picture Association and UniJapan, also featured fireside chats with Matsuhashi and Maeda, followed by a Q&A session.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The only individual who’s maybe on Erika’s side is, of all people, Benita, who has a chat with Blake at the aforementioned messy meetup.
    — Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of chat
Noun
  • The four countries agreed Monday to continue talks on expanding cooperation among them, particularly about regional peace and security, a statement said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Those talks collapsed over price and worries about antitrust pushback, neither of which hold true today.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of talk
Noun
  • After maybe 10,000 individual motes of noise that chatter like mouse clicks, the song ends with a slow, jangly fadeout.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Schulman added that SpaceX’s mobile carrier strategy is already apparent, citing industry chatter.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • There’s table talk about whether Trump’s low approval ratings can hurt his party as much as Obama hurt his party’s in 2010.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • When the table talk turns political, Hagains suggests shifting your approach instead of your mood.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Nov. 2025
Definition of table talk

Browse Nearby Words

smallswords
small talk
small-time
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Cite this Entry

“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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