small talk

¹ American  

noun

1. light conversation; chitchat.

   Synonyms:

   gossip, chatter, banter

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small-talk ² American  

[smawl-tawk] / ˈsmɔlˌtɔk /

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in or have a propensity for small talk.

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small talk British  

noun

1. light conversation for social occasions

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small talk Idioms  

1. Casual or trivial conversation, chitchat, as in We stood around making small talk until the guest of honor arrived. The small in this expression alludes to unimportant subjects of conversation, as opposed to serious or weighty ones. [Mid-1700s]

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Etymology

Origin of small talk¹

First recorded in 1745–55

Origin of small-talk²

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Imagine if you’re a nominee, getting shuttled to and fro, shaking hands and making small talk.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

The state is the kind of place where small talk about the weather turns into a half-hour conversation about life; a place where citizens greet or wave to strangers while driving or walking past them.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

A quick "You okay?" followed by "Yeah, I'm fine" is surface-level small talk.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

She half-expected to suffer through another week of lackluster group excursions and awkward small talk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

He smiled, so I tried to make small talk, now that we were able to tuck our aggressive bravado away.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• blather
• chatter
• chitchat
• pleasantry