small talk

noun

: light or casual conversation : chitchat

Synonyms of small talk

• chat
• talk
• chatter
• table talk

Examples of small talk in a Sentence

They made small talk while waiting for the meeting to start.

at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office

Recent Examples on the Web

That's what my client Susan discovered at an ERG networking event, where story-prompting questions moved her and her partner past small talk and into real stories about their careers, upbringings, and experiences of imposter syndrome at work. — Esther K. Choy, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

My driver appeared like a normal woman attempting to make small talk. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026

That’s how this dinner kicks off, after a minuscule, benign moment of small talk between him and Georgia. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026

Making small talk about boycotts of companies associated with bad causes, Maher observes that Hugo Boss supplied uniforms to the ur-villains of the 20th century. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for small talk

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

small talk

noun

: light or informal conversation