small talk
65
2.1
- noun
- /smɔl tɔk/
- Informal
:
charla
- At the party, they engaged in small talk about their favorite movies to break the ice.
- make small talk
Can you imagine trying to make small talk with Donald Trump?
- Can you imagine trying to make small talk with Donald Trump?
- So you have to be OK to a certain extent with small talk, with banter.
- I could sleep or I could do some small talk after.
- How many of you are tired of small talk?
- I didn't have as much patience for small talk.
- They have some anxiety, but I feel like we don't like small talk because it makes us anxious.
- I have had it with small talk.
- So they came in and they started talking with me, small talk.
- Hey, I told you that I don't like small talk.
- And that is the conclusion of how to break the seal of small talk.
Examples
-
On a deck high above the water, four gentlemen enjoyed drinks and small talk while waiting for a visitor.
Fiction book (1996) -
You aren't going to be here long enough for small talk and amusing conversation.
Fiction book (1991) -
And, you know, there was some small talk about the weather and I was like, is this going to turn into a conversation?
-
Otherwise, you make small talk, share a few laughs, and discover some common interests.
Academic text (2009) -
After some small talk, the pair agreed on a price of 100 dinars.
Academic text (2017) -
The interview began with small talk between the researcher and the participant.
Academic text (2011) -
After some small talk, I said, "I've had a look at your resume."
Fiction book (1996) -
Paulo was bored by the small talk being passed back and forth.
Fiction book (1993) -
Francesca makes small talk with the grocery lady as she buys what she needs.
Fiction book (1995) -
It was a lot of pleasantries, a lot of small talk, but no real impact there.
Synonyms
28
2.0
Friendly, light talk about unimportant things
12
7.1
A short friendly talk between people
9
2.8
Short friendly talk about unimportant things
5
8.9
A short informal private talk between people
4
8.7
A friendly informal talk to make people like you and build contacts
1
2.8
Light joking talk that makes people laugh and feel welcome
1
5.8
Casual talk about small, unimportant things, often gossip
1
2.3
A short informal talk to share or clear up something
1
8.9
Silly or unimportant talk that wastes time
1
8.4
A friendly relaxed chat between people, often over coffee
1
9.5
Light talk between people with little meaning
A friendly informal chat between people who know each other
Light informal chat between people to enjoy themselves
A short friendly chat that helps people relax
Light informal talk among people at social or literary gatherings
An informal friendly chat to make a useful connection
A friendly, informal talk about personal news
Light talk about unimportant, silly things people say
Light friendly talk about small unimportant things, often gossip
A friendly informal talk about unimportant things
Antonyms
How Personal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'polite or casual conversation about unimportant matters' is directly derivable from combining 'small' (limited in importance) with 'talk' (conversation); the adjective+noun composition transparently signals a light, unimportant kind of conversation. This construction and its pragmatic function are common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words would very likely infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Small talk comes from the idea of small meaning little or unimportant and talk meaning simple conversation. People use short, polite chat about things like the weather to fill quiet moments or 'break the ice', so small talk now means 'polite or casual conversation about unimportant matters'.