as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
a bit of chitchat over lunch with people we hadn't seen in a while
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Recent Examples of chitchat
Houston’s Mission Control arranged the cosmic chitchat between the four lunar travelers and the space station’s three NASA and one French residents.
—
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Just search The Outside Podcast on YouTube to enjoy these chitchats with your eyes as well as your ears.
—Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2026
Pull up a seat at Hinokizaka’s bar and let the resident sushi master serve you the freshest catch with a side of charming chitchat.
—Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
Behind them, another pair of former vice presidents and onetime political rivals engaged in friendly chitchat: former Vice Presidents Al Gore (D) and Dan Quayle (R).
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chitchat
Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Just search The Outside Podcast on YouTube to enjoy these chitchats with your eyes as well as your ears.
—Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2026
Pull up a seat at Hinokizaka’s bar and let the resident sushi master serve you the freshest catch with a side of charming chitchat.
—Brandon Presser, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
Behind them, another pair of former vice presidents and onetime political rivals engaged in friendly chitchat: former Vice Presidents Al Gore (D) and Dan Quayle (R).
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chitchat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chitchat
Noun
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Törnberg identified three new kinds of emerging online media platforms, starting with private or semi-private group chats like WhatsApp.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2026
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Much like the show, the chat was a mixture of laughs and genuine heartfelt emotion.—
Abby Stern,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The chatter among party elites appears at odds with recent polling in Harris’ favor, including in April’s Harvard Center for American Political Studies/Harris Poll, which showed Harris leading the Democratic field with support from 50% of Democrats.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Student chatter on social media fluctuated between some commenters upset that their tests or assignments would be canceled and others planning beach days in light of the system being down.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The most recent back-and-forth over talks comes after a week of sporadic clashes in the Persian Gulf, amid a month-long ceasefire.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Markets have soared and oil prices have dropped over the last week, however, amid anticipation that a deal could be close after weeks of talks and occasional setbacks.—
Peter Nicholas,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Chitchat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chitchat. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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