1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

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

Relevance

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 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 See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
  1. chat
  2. talk
  3. chatter
  4. table talk
Noun
  • Tap the new chat button at the bottom right of the homepage to start interacting with the AI tool.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The customer service chat is one of the easiest to use and reach a representative.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of chat
Noun
  • The indirect talks come as the conflict, which is entering its eighth month, has caused global economic damage and badly battered Iran.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Progress in talks will be a main focus for markets, as regional mediators push for ceasefire negotiations, said Mahmoud Mashal, senior market analyst of VT Markets Dubai, adding that any meaningful progress could drive crude lower.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of talk
Noun
  • These birds, with their intense, sharp eyes and bold, sturdy appearance, are selective in their social bonds and communicate in loud, rattling chatter.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The group, including Shawn Mendes, Bruna Marquezine, and Edward Norton, relaxed and unwinded as conversations and chatter got louder.
    — Lucrezia Malavolta, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • When the table talk turns political, Hagains suggests shifting your approach instead of your mood.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Each monthly box includes three recipe guides, skill lessons, a kitchen tool, a kitchen project, an apron patch, table talk cards, and a grocery list.
    — Jessica Booth, Parents, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of table talk

Browse Nearby Words

smallswords
small talk
small-time
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of slew

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All