real talk

American  

[ree-uhl tawk, reel tawk] / ˈri əl ˌtɔk, ˈril ˌtɔk /

adverb

1. Informal. while getting down to honest, serious discussion; frankly; seriously (used to introduce a statement or question).

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noun

1. Informal. honest, serious discussion or conversation as opposed to light or superficial chatting.

Other Word Forms

• real-talking
  adjective

Example Sentences

Berlin at war, how the brain makes time, Judy Blume’s real talk for young readers and more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

The 32-year-old had been absent for nine matches with a thigh injury and there had been no real talk of a return.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Lawrence’s new stand-up show will be a “fresh one-hour set where Martin brings the real talk and finds the funny in everything from family to culture as only he can,” according to a press release.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2024

Or, imagine a communication platform that brings people together in small intimate conversations where they engage in real talk about their own life experiences, combined with analytics to find themes and connections across experiences.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 9, 2022

Okay, real talk: I hate when people drop a random name like I’m supposed to magically know it.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera