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• small talk
  small talk

  noun

  light conversation; chitchat.
• small-talk
  small-talk

  verb (used without object)

  to engage in or have a propensity for small talk.

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

small talk small-talk

Players were milling around midfield, exchanging jerseys and making small talk when Chubb appeared to say something to Jackson, who was chatting with another Bills player.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

While it’s all well and good to connect with people over a mutual hobby, online discourse provides a much more fertile foundation than small talk.

From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2026

He used small talk as an example, which can lead to a deeper understanding, deeper trust, and connection for people.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

I think we worry that small talk will be a waste of our time, that we can pull out our phone and watch all the most exceptional things.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

“When can you come home?” she asks after we’ve dispensed with the small talk.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Keep five small-talk topics on hand that you can pivot to if you’re waiting for a new thread to follow during the silence.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2025

You might save yourself from a life filled with small-talk with hired guns who were trained to speak to you in short sentences.

From Salon ● Feb. 24, 2025

The lawmaker recalled having to reintroduce themself to the senator multiple times, helping her locate her purse repeatedly and answering the same set of basic, small-talk questions over and over again.

From New York Times ● May 2, 2022

And when his session ended, Hinch rose from the table expressionlessly, avoiding the casual small-talk with reporters that has made him such a popular figure with both local and national media.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 10, 2019

In fact, I think she gets more powerful with every small-talk session she has.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

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Related Words

• blather
• chatter
• chitchat
• pleasantry

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