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Synonyms
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
Readers can expect chapters to highlight small talk's significant role in life and even offer snippets of real small talk trainees.
—Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
Others are drawn to the idea of avoiding small talk and the pressure to tip.
—Corina Knoll, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Cillian Murphy and Carrie Mulligan made brief appearances — not stopping for small talk (probably thanks to the security guards leading and following them).
—Krystie Lee Yandoli, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024
A number of us scrolled through iPhones with our index fingers or exchanged small talk, occasionally slipping into English by accident.
—Jamil Jan Kochai, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
Even my side hustle — producing podcasts that don’t feature sitcom stars making small talk with their friends — went sideways.
—Mark Healy, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2024
In contrast to Western markets, where small talk and lengthy discussions may be common, leaders here prefer directness and efficiency.
—Senton Kacaniku, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
When individuals within specific subsets get the chance to connect, all small talk instantly goes out the window.
—Sophie Morgan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024
The pair share a greeting before Swift launches into some small talk.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'small talk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1650, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to small talk
Dictionary Entries Near small talk
Cite this Entry
“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20talk. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
small talk
noun
: light or informal conversation
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