small talk

noun

: light or casual conversation : chitchat

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 A number of us scrolled through iPhones with our index fingers or exchanged small talk, occasionally slipping into English by accident. Jamil Jan Kochai, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 Even my side hustle — producing podcasts that don’t feature sitcom stars making small talk with their friends — went sideways. Mark Healy, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2024 In contrast to Western markets, where small talk and lengthy discussions may be common, leaders here prefer directness and efficiency. Senton Kacaniku, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 When individuals within specific subsets get the chance to connect, all small talk instantly goes out the window. Sophie Morgan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024 The pair share a greeting before Swift launches into some small talk. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024 After some small talk, the two end up spending the night talking and walking the streets of the Austrian capital, only to agree to meet at the exact same spot six months later. Cristina Everett, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2024 Miss Manner realizes this goes against every modern instinct, but etiquette, along with common sense, does not require you to be available for small talk every minute of every day. Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 Miss Manners realizes this goes against every modern instinct, but etiquette, along with common sense, does not require you to be available for small talk every minute of every day. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'small talk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small talk was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near small talk

Cite this Entry

“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20talk. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

small talk

noun
: light or informal conversation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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