icebreaker

noun

ice·​break·​er ˈīs-ˌbrā-kər 

1

: a ship equipped (as with a reinforced bow) to make and maintain a channel through ice

2

: something that is done or said to get through the first difficulties in starting a conversation or discussion

Roughly half of all Americans are invested in the market these days, and stock holdings have replaced politics, weather and sports as the go-to conversational icebreaker.

—Adam Bryant

… she also pays particular attention to icebreakers that relax guests and get them rubbing elbows, such as a cruise up the Colorado River, where guests nibble on hors d'oeuvres and sip Fall Creek wines.

—Steve Heimoff

see also break the ice at break entry 1

Examples of icebreaker in a Sentence

using an old joke as a conversational icebreaker

Recent Examples on the Web

The other option is to gift a cruise through Canada’s St. Lawrence River during the boreal winter aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world's first icebreaker and hybrid-electric polar exploration ship. —Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

This mission was led by a team of four: British expedition leader John Shears; South African icebreaker captain Knowledge Bengu; French director of subsea operations Nico Vincent; and Falkland Islander explorer Mensun Bound. —Allegra Rosenberg, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2024

And for a good icebreaker in any chat with a Dodgers fan, just say something nice about Manny Machado. —Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024

Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Kick things off with an icebreaker, using Teams apps such as the polls or Forms feature to introduce a quick poll at the start of the session and encourage participation. —Rachel Wells, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

icebreaker

noun

ice·​break·​er -ˌbrā-kər 

1

: a ship equipped to make and keep open a channel through ice

2

: something (as a joke or game) that makes one feel more at ease and less reserved (as at a party or meeting)