1
as in lecturing
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject
the fire chief often talks at school assemblies about fire safety
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in chatting
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
talked with our neighbor as we unloaded the groceries from the car
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in saying
to express (a thought or emotion) in words
you're talking nonsense: take a minute and think about what you are trying to say, and then start speaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in informing
to give information (as to the authorities) about another's improper or unlawful activities
after being threatened, the eyewitness started talking at length about what he had seen in the alley
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in gossiping
to relate sometimes questionable or secret information of a personal nature
you're a fine one to talk about your sister's marital problems when you have had plenty of your own
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in speaking
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in communication
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 talking
Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
There’s a percentage of American influencers who are paid by foreign countries to push propaganda on social media, and Ted Cruz is parroting their talking points.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Crime in Kansas City has long been a key talking point for Kehoe and other Missouri Republicans.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Europe gets wise to Vučiċ In all this, Vučiċ has drawn on Kremlin talking points and an authoritarian playbook to distract attention away from his government’s practices.
—Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Lillard played Shaggy, one of the amateur detectives who leads alongside the titular talking dog.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Some A-list attendees, such as music artist Stephanie Glitter and Francesca Mesiano, let their makeup do most of the talking, painting dramatic embellishments in gloomy hues on their faces.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
The rise in organized thefts has become a major talking point for advocates who are asking the state to step in to do more to prevent the violent encounters.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
The remaining six slots on either side are left to captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Book Marks
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
And its representatives are talking a big game about making the country a wellspring of world-class AI companies.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
His survival was credited to personnel who kept him talking and supplied him with food and water until he could be freed, Basarnas said.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
You guys have a lot of f---ing nerve talking all that s--- to get smoked.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
In an interaction that can only be described as bizarre, Sanders only mouthed words while talking to reporters yesterday in the Browns locker room while being asked about the QB change.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more!
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Rei is talking with her mom on the phone about her burgeoning anime illustrator career.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
As bad as things seem for the Blue Jays, manager John Schneider gave a fiery response and reminder when talking to the media after Wednesday's loss.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Dan Sheldon analyses the key talking points… How important was Martin Odegaard?
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
There’s a percentage of American influencers who are paid by foreign countries to push propaganda on social media, and Ted Cruz is parroting their talking points.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Crime in Kansas City has long been a key talking point for Kehoe and other Missouri Republicans.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
Europe gets wise to Vučiċ In all this, Vučiċ has drawn on Kremlin talking points and an authoritarian playbook to distract attention away from his government’s practices.
—Hanna Begić, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Lillard played Shaggy, one of the amateur detectives who leads alongside the titular talking dog.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Some A-list attendees, such as music artist Stephanie Glitter and Francesca Mesiano, let their makeup do most of the talking, painting dramatic embellishments in gloomy hues on their faces.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
The rise in organized thefts has become a major talking point for advocates who are asking the state to step in to do more to prevent the violent encounters.
—Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
The remaining six slots on either side are left to captain’s picks, a big talking point in the run-up to every Ryder Cup.
—Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
These parables sometimes read like gibberish, talking both down and up to the reader.
—Book Marks
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
And its representatives are talking a big game about making the country a wellspring of world-class AI companies.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
His survival was credited to personnel who kept him talking and supplied him with food and water until he could be freed, Basarnas said.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
You guys have a lot of f---ing nerve talking all that s--- to get smoked.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
In an interaction that can only be described as bizarre, Sanders only mouthed words while talking to reporters yesterday in the Browns locker room while being asked about the QB change.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more!
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Rei is talking with her mom on the phone about her burgeoning anime illustrator career.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
As bad as things seem for the Blue Jays, manager John Schneider gave a fiery response and reminder when talking to the media after Wednesday's loss.
—Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for talking
Verb
-
Stewardship speaking, the organization’s total water usage, across its operations and value chain, dropped 32 percent against the 2020 baseline—some 12 percent above and beyond the 20 percent reduction goal.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Dolphins cornerbacks have played well Even though Rasul Douglas, Jack Jones and Cornell Armstrong all signed during training camp, as opposed to the offseason or early last summer, Miami’s new starting trio has been played well, relatively speaking.—
Omar Kelly
October 2,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Contestants form bonds and make decisions about compatibility while chatting through a wall, eventually getting engaged before meeting face-to-face for the first time.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
-
There's a lot of laughing and chatting between us.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But the Democratic leadership is demanding an immediate extension to soon-to-expire Obamacare subsidies for their votes, saying Americans face a sharp rise in health care costs without them.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The club has been saying since the summer that the stadium only requires a few finishing touches for it to re-open at a reduced capacity of about 27,000.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But after winning just six games the next two seasons, AD Mike Garrett left a message on the coach’s answering machine informing him he was fired.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Stewart opened by informing the audience that there have been six mass shootings in the past 24 hours.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nancy and Minh are there too, but primarily to set up Peggy’s consternation that her neighbors, along with the rest of Rainey Street, have become a bunch of phone addicts hiding behind their Ring cams and gossiping on the Neighbors app instead of interacting face to face.—
Genevieve Koski,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Whitney Decker told the detective her ex-husband had always been communicative about their children and previously returned them when he was supposed to.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Communicate And Collaborate On AI Usage Rules Be collaborative and communicative.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Since exiting Dries Van Noten a few years ago, Scallon has been working as an independent consultant and mentor in fashion communications strategy, also lecturing occasionally and sharing his views about creative content on podcasts.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The same woman Don had been lecturing about beer.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Powered by Apple Intelligence, a new Live Translation mode is said to deliver near real-time language translation to your ears when conversing with someone who speaks another language.—
Marc Saltzman,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Bowie this week was advised by the city attorney’s office that she had been seen conversing with the Taylors in the hallway outside the council chambers, which could be construed as stepping outside of her role as a neutral party in an appeals hearing.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Talking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share