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to chitchat

to chitchat

7 3.0
To talk in a friendly, light way about unimportant things
  • verb
  • /ˈʧɪtʃæt/
  • Informal
translation icon : charlar
  • Well, we can't chitchat all day, can we?
  • just chitchat
  • want to chitchat

But the students would chitchat and all that, and they were afraid.

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Examples

  • We don't come to 47th Street to chitchat.

  • I just wanted to sit down, chitchat and show you some of the fun new things that I got for my new place.

  • We can talk, chitchat, discuss.

  • Now you want to chitchat.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • I don't chitchat unless it's about the job.

  • She'd chitchat for a minute or two, not wanting to seem as if she had something better to do than talk to her husband of eleven months.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • We sit and chitchat over the aroma of cinnamon and pan dulce about all the things normal people can't talk about.

    Blog text (6)
  • Let's sit down and chitchat about our plans for the weekend.

  • She loves to chitchat with her friends over coffee every Saturday.

  • During lunch, we often chitchat about the latest movies and TV shows.

Synonyms

to chat
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
269 1.0

To talk in a friendly, informal way about small everyday things

is the general casual word used in many everyday situations
to chatter
vsto chitchat
86 2.7

To talk quickly and without stopping about unimportant things

is the same casual talking but without implying rapid nonstop speech
to converse
vsto chitchat
29 3.3

To talk with someone in a friendly way

is the light talk about unimportant topics rather than any informal conversation
to shoot the breeze
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
9 6.8

To chat in a relaxed informal way about unimportant things

is the neutral general word rather than an idiomatic expression
to jaw
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
6 7.7

To talk for a long time in a relaxed, often boring way

is the short light informal talk of unimportant topics, not lengthy rambling
to chit-chat
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
5 4.1

To talk in a friendly, light way about unimportant things

is the unhyphenated modern form with same meaning
to chew the fat
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
3 7.9

Talk in a friendly, relaxed way for a long time

is the brief light informal chat rather than extended long talks
to natter
vsto chitchat
  • UK
3 7.9

Talk in a friendly way about small unimportant things

is the general neutral word for this kind of informal chatting
to confab
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
1 8.5

To talk briefly and informally with someone, often in private

is the purposeless light chat about unimportant topics rather than a decision discussion
to bat the breeze
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
8.1

To talk in a relaxed, friendly way

is the broad term for casual talk rather than purposeless chatting
to batting the breeze
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
8.8

To talk in a relaxed way about nothing important

is the neutral name for short or long informal exchanges
to confabulate
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
8.7

To chat with others about small, unimportant things

is the general term for light informal talk not limited to trivial cases
to chaffer
vsto chitchat
  • Archaic
9.9

Talk in a friendly way about small, unimportant things

is about light informal topics, not about hiding important facts
to claver
vsto chitchat
  • Archaic
9.9

To have a light friendly chat about unimportant things

is the general light talk term, not focused on gossip
to jive about
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
8.5

To talk in a lively, informal way about things like music

is the calmer general term for light informal conversation
splitting the breeze
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
9.9

Talking in a friendly, relaxed way with other people

is the broad word for light informal talk, not tied to group settings
to jawbone
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
9.3

Talk in a friendly, relaxed way

is a general term for light conversation, not only idle gossip
to engage in banter
vsto chitchat
  • Informal
4.8

Take part in friendly playful talk that makes jokes and teases

is general light talk without the playful teasing aspect

Antonyms

2.8

To give reasons to support or oppose an idea

How Casual

to prattle
9 8.4
to gab
  • Informal
1 6.9
to chitchat
  • Informal
7 3.0
to chat
  • Informal
269 1.0
to talk
1.0
to speak
1.0

Surface Forms

chitchat infinitive
chitchatted past participle
chitchatting present participle
chitchats third person singular

Etymology

The verb chitchat comes from the same idea as the noun: it is like having a short, light chat with someone. So, to chitchat is to talk casually about unimportant things.