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

What began as awkward small talk with strangers quickly becomes conversations with like-minded people. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Frazier said that the woman was known to frequently walk around the neighborhood sparking up small talk. — Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 12 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

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