1
as in discussion
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
seemingly endless palaver between the negotiating parties
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2
as in chatter
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
we should get together and have a nice palaver sometime
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
mothers palavering and drinking coffee while watching their children play
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
I let the salesclerk at the electronics store palaver me into a service contract that I didn't need
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of palaver
Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 Jan. 2024
The palaver about Prime Minister Liz Truss’s failed tax-cut plan has obscured the way Mr. Bailey politicized the British central bank.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 18 Oct. 2022
Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for palaver 
Noun
And to listen to them is to be privy to some of the most easily ignored palaver the global economic elite has to offer.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 Jan. 2024
The palaver about Prime Minister Liz Truss’s failed tax-cut plan has obscured the way Mr. Bailey politicized the British central bank.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 18 Oct. 2022
Verb
On the one hand, Hrabal’s palavering bears a direct relation to reality.
—Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for palaver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palaver
Noun
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During the discussion, she was asked if she's ever been confused for another celebrity.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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Once the consent calendar is moved and seconded, there is no discussion and there are no questions — the whole point of the consent calendar is to eliminate unnecessary discussions.Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Using Cell Phones with Reckless Abandon While the ballpark is filled with cheers and chatter, nobody wants to be seated next to the person who’s loudly carrying on a phone conversation in the middle of it—or have to dodge the hundredth selfie snapped by the person in front of them.Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2025
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The compressed size of the court and the smaller arena mean players — and fans — will be able to hear much more on-court chatter.Remy Tumin, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Barack Obama attended the funeral and sat next to Trump, where a clip of the two smiling and chatting away quickly became viral on social media.Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
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On her daytime talk show on Monday, Jan. 13, the actress and television personality chatted with SZA, and the pair bonded over inspiring one another, their relationships and more.Jen Juneau, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Prairie-Rocca barricaded himself for about 90 minutes before the police were able to coax him out, Law & Crime reported.Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
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At the Hammer Museum, walking into a small veiled room brought you to a large glass box within which live bees build honeycomb patterns on top of sculptures that coax those patterns into works of art.Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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At present, there are not enough professionals with the training to treat veterans or to provide regular consultations for them, said Svetlana Artemeva, who is working on a project to train dozens of therapists across 16 Russian regions to help soldiers struggling with post-traumatic stress.Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025
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Competitors charge for consultations with tax experts, so this is a huge advantage.PCMAG, PCMAG, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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An Israeli official briefed on the talks confirmed the deal to NBC News.Natasha Turak,Christina Wilkie, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
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But amazingly, the topic of the talk had no significant effect.Jason Richmond, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Footage of the rescue, shared by the HCSO, shows the moment the rescuers’ boats converged on the buoy and crews conversed with the survivors.Abigail Adams, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
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Chesney will often be found helping with the residents’ free time, serving ice cream, and conversing with the residents.Gabrielle Chenault, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Decades before sanctuary cities became a vigorous partisan debate, Sacramento declared itself as one of the first in America.Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025
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But looming over the debate was what could happen after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, the day after TikTok must be divested.Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near palaver
Cite this Entry
“Palaver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palaver. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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