to schmooze
- verb
- /ʃmuːz/
- Informal
- At the conference, she made sure to schmooze with influential attendees to promote her new project.
- schmooze with clients
- schmooze with fans
- people schmooze
I'm a happier person today because I didn't give in and schmoozed with the nonsense producers.
- I'm a happier person today because I didn't give in and schmoozed with the nonsense producers.
- My husband is the product person and he is not good at schmoozing.
- He said I was a rising star and she came to me and like sort of tries to schmooze him and wound up blurbing his book.
- And, and so, you know, I, you know, we were, we were talking and schmoozing as us Jews say, and you're schmoozing, you're schmoozing, you're schmoozing with the Jews.
- Chuck Silver's told Spielberg there's a time where you have to stop schmoozing, stop doing cold outreach and create something of value, of quality to show people.
Examples
-
Cocktail gatherings for lawyers to drink and schmooze with judges—a vestige of small-town, back-scratching culture—are still routine.
Academic text (2007) -
At the heart of the kind of buzz that's about visibility lies the ability to schmooze and make friends—in other words, networking.
Blog text (5) -
I can absolutely schmooze for 8 hours straight and enjoy it.
Blog text (19) -
Monica, go outside and schmooze with the people.
-
I would think that a scientist like you would drop everything for a chance to schmooze with me.
Fiction book (2001) -
Nobody schmoozes better than he does.
-
And remember to schmooze the booksellers.
Blog text (20) -
And now onto the most important part of the day, schmoozing with the neighbors.
-
But how else is she to schmooze with the high rollers in the legislature?
Blog text (27) -
Uncle Sam's job was to schmooze with customers, a job that Aunt Hen said he was good for.
Fiction book (1998)
Synonyms
To talk with someone in a friendly way
To persuade someone by saying nice things to them
Say nice things to someone to get their help or a reward
To spend time talking with important or powerful people
To meet and talk with important people at social events
To talk in a friendly, light way about unimportant things
To talk in a friendly way to make a useful connection
Talk in a friendly way to try to get help or make useful contacts
To talk in a friendly, casual way to make contacts
Talk in a friendly, relaxed way
To talk briefly in an informal way
Antonyms
How Ingratiating
Surface Forms
Etymology
Schmooze as a verb also comes from the Yiddish shmuesn 'chat' and the German schmusen 'to cuddle', and a helpful way to remember it is to think of 'smooth' talk that feels warm and friendly. So to schmooze is to talk in a friendly, sometimes flattering way to make a good impression.