to confabulate
- verb
- /kənˈfæbjʊˌleɪt/
- Informal
:
charlar
- At the coffee shop, friends often confabulate about their weekend plans.
Examples
-
The children confabulated happily while playing in the park.
-
Oh, confabulate, confabulate.
-
During lunch, the coworkers confabulated about their favorite movies.
Synonyms
269
1.0
To talk in a friendly, informal way about small everyday things
86
2.7
To talk quickly and without stopping about unimportant things
40
1.6
To talk in a friendly, casual way about a subject
29
3.3
To talk with someone in a friendly way
9
6.8
To chat in a relaxed informal way about unimportant things
7
3.0
To talk in a friendly, light way about unimportant things
6
7.7
To talk for a long time in a relaxed, often boring way
5
4.1
To talk in a friendly, light way about unimportant things
3
7.9
Talk in a friendly, relaxed way for a long time
3
7.9
Talk in a friendly way about small unimportant things
1
7.9
To talk quickly and unclearly so others cannot understand you
1
8.5
To talk briefly and informally with someone, often in private
To talk in a relaxed way about nothing important
Talking in a friendly, relaxed way with other people
To talk briefly in an informal way
To talk in a lively, informal way about things like music
To have a light friendly chat about unimportant things
Talk in a friendly way about small, unimportant things
Talk in a friendly, relaxed way
How Formal
∞
1.6
29
3.3
- Informal
- Informal
269
1.0
- Informal
28
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
confabulate = fabulate (semi-transparent) = con + fabulate
The meaning of 'confabulate' as 'to engage in informal conversation' is somewhat related to 'fabulate' as storytelling, but not fully transparent.
Etymology
Confabulate comes from the Latin parts con- 'with' and fabula 'story', like being 'with stories' when you sit and talk. That's why it can mean to have a friendly, informal chat or a light conversation with others.