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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small talk
Earlier that morning, Benz and her friends had sat for hours in the house’s backyard, trying to exhaust themselves with small talk and tired jokes about each other.
—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Kelce went further, listing a range of reasons someone might turn down a drink — reasons that aren’t owed to anyone making small talk.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Most players are not breaking the Official Secrets Act and are most likely just having the sort of small talk any colleagues would in an office environment.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
But Lilian’s least favorite activity was small talk.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for small talk
Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Kelce went further, listing a range of reasons someone might turn down a drink — reasons that aren’t owed to anyone making small talk.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Most players are not breaking the Official Secrets Act and are most likely just having the sort of small talk any colleagues would in an office environment.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
But Lilian’s least favorite activity was small talk.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
Noun
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The Inn stays shut during winter and ‘pack ice’ season, which some locals will tell you is the most beautiful time of all—for snowmobiling and snowshoeing through the Island’s interior by day, and come evening, getting invited into someone's warm shed for a tipple and a chat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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May 21 – June 20 A random chat could inspire you to make smarter moves.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the proposal was full of cartoonishly goofy faux spy talk.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Pakistan said Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will send top diplomats to Islamabad for talks aimed at ending the war, arriving Sunday for a two-day visit.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Like all the best restaurants in Rome, Piatto Romano welcomes a steady stream of Italians for lunch and dinner, who fill the restaurant with chatter and laughter.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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The chatter around streaming bots grew noticeably louder in August 2025, when a prison phone call between Young Thug and an unidentified associate leaked online.—
Kyle Eustice,
VIBE.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When the table talk turns political, Hagains suggests shifting your approach instead of your mood.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Nov. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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