talkative
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
Talkative, garrulous, loquacious characterize a person who talks a great deal. Talkative is a neutral or mildly unfavorable word applied to a person who is inclined to talk a great deal, sometimes without significance: a talkative child. The garrulous person talks with wearisome persistence, usually about personal and trivial things: a garrulous old man. A loquacious person, intending to be sociable, talks continuously and at length: a loquacious host.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of talkative
A late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at talk, -ative
Explanation
A person who is talkative likes to talk — she's friendly and ready to gab at all times about just about anything. We all have conversations, but some people enjoy talking more than others: those people are talkative. They find it easy to strike up a conversation, unlike others who may be shy. Being talkative is associated with being friendly. Talkative people can also be described as chatty, garrulous, loquacious, talky, and likely to talk your ear off. If you don’t feel like chatting, you'd better avoid talkative people. The root word of talkative is the Middle English tale, or "story."
Vocabulary lists containing talkative
Frankenwords: Words with Roots from Different Languages
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ive, -ative, -itive
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In his hour-long set, he mostly talked about his own story: an "overly talkative" kid who often frustrated the adults in charge, he discovered comedy in his late teens.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Responding to questions in a humanlike, conversational tone, typically with encouraging answers, keeps users more engaged — and even talkative — than a direct, robotic response.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
A lively, talkative little girl, she spoke fluent Korean at the time, and her adoptive father recorded her on a cassette that then sat gathering dust for years.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
TJ Pidgeon, an 82-year-old woman with dementia in Newcastle, Wash., has become more talkative with her family since she began using Sunny in August.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Because I am loud and talkative, my words are thought trite and silly.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
