small talk

noun

: light or casual conversation : chitchat

Examples of small talk in a Sentence

They made small talk while waiting for the meeting to start. at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Officers who were staging for the undercover operation reported that Schoonover engaged in small talk with them with before entering a room at the hotel. Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2024 Sometimes the cars stacked up as people made small talk with her at the drive-through window. John Branch, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024 Rather than making small talk, ask things that matter. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 But in the end, most riders’ favorite thing about Waymo wasn’t efficiency, or price, or safety, but not having to be in a car with another human—never underestimate how few people enjoy small talk with drivers, even if the trade-off for quiet is a slightly glitchy ride. Michelle Weber, Longreads, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for small talk 

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small talk was in 1650

Dictionary Entries Near small talk

Cite this Entry

“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20talk. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

small talk

noun
: light or informal conversation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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