schmooze

American  

[shmooz] / ʃmuz /

Also shmooze sometimes schmoose

verb (used without object)

schmoozed, schmoozing

1. to chat idly; gossip.

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noun

1. idle conversation; chatter.

schmooze British  

/ ʃmuːz /

verb

1. (intr) to chat or gossip

2. (tr) to chat to (someone) for the purposes of self-promotion or to gain some advantage

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noun

1. a trivial conversation; chat

Other Word Forms

• schmoozer noun

Etymology

Origin of schmooze

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; from Yiddish, verb use of schmues, from Hebrew shəmūʿōth “reports, gossip”

Explanation

When you schmooze at a party, you chat with many different people. Being able to schmooze casually and confidently is a good quality in a hostess or a politician. If you say, "I just want to stop by the reception and schmooze for a little bit," it means you're going to see who's there and make smalltalk with various people. You might want to schmooze for fun, or take the opportunity to hand out your business card. You can call the conversation itself a schmooze too, and the word comes from the Yiddish shmuesn, "to chat" from shmues, "idle talk," with the Hebrew root shemu'oth, "rumors."

Example Sentences

After 4 p.m., they have ample time to clean up their books, meet with co-workers, schmooze with clients, and grab some sleep.

From Barron's • Oct. 23, 2025

Later in the Illinois primary, Carter also showed that he could schmooze with powerful machine bosses, namely Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2024

“He was very much inclined not to schmooze so much as to explain and then expect people to understand and then act on it.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2024

With Congress on recess, both the House and Senate sent sizable delegations to the annual Munich Security Conference to schmooze with world leaders about the pressing global issues of the day.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2024

Unlike his brother, Eric Trump did not schmooze with court staff during the breaks.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2023