converse

1 of 4

verb

con·​verse kən-ˈvərs 

conversed; conversing; converses

intransitive verb

1

: to exchange thoughts and opinions in spoken words or sign language : talk

We spent a few minutes conversing about the weather.

The leaders were bellowing so loudly that you had to shout to converse with your dinner partner.

—Christopher Buckley

2

archaic : to have acquaintance or familiarity : to become occupied or engaged

… admonished them to study … the universe, to converse with nature, to observe the heavenly influences; …

—Robert Ainsworth

… a secluded scholar, living in his study and conversing almost exclusively with books.

—Cornelius C. Felton

converser

kən-ˈvər-sər 

noun

plural conversers

converse

2 of 4

noun (1)

con·​verse ˈkän-ˌvərs 

1

dated : conversation

… Mrs Walker, like many other mothers, was apt to be more free in converse with her daughter than she was with her son.

—Anthony Trollope

Graham Bretton had dined with us that day; he had shone both in converse and looks.

—Charlotte Brontë

2

archaic : social interaction

converse

3 of 4

noun (2)

con·​verse ˈkän-ˌvərs 

: something reversed in order, relation, or action: such as

a

: a theorem formed by interchanging the hypothesis and conclusion of a given theorem

b

: a proposition obtained by interchange of the subject and predicate of a given proposition

"No P is S " is the converse of "no S is P. "

converse

4 of 4

adjective

con·​verse kən-ˈvərs  ˈkän-ˌvərs 

1

: reversed in order, relation, or action

Socrates, while he said that the true tragic writer was also an artist in comedy, did not lay down the converse proposition that the true comic writer is also an artist in tragedy.

—Samuel Alexander

2

: being a logical or mathematical converse

the converse theorem

Synonyms

Verb

• babble
• blab
• cackle
• chaffer [British]
• chat
• chatter
• chin [slang]
• gab
• gabble
• gas
• jabber
• jaw
• kibitz
• kibbitz
• natter
• palaver
• patter
• prate
• prattle
• rap
• rattle
• run on
• schmooze
• shmooze
• talk
• twitter
• visit

Noun (1)

• chat
• colloquy
• conversation
• dialogue
• dialog
• discourse
• discussion
• exchange

Examples of converse in a Sentence

Noun (1)

ideally, the college classroom should be a place of intellectual converse between student and teacher

They conversed quietly in the corner of the room.

At home we often converse in Spanish.

Adjective

One must also consider the converse case.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Silas Stein/Picture Alliance/dpa/AP/File Hello Barbie – a pioneering doll introduced in 2015 that could converse, sing, and even tell jokes using an earlier version of AI – didn’t last the year. —Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Nov. 2024

To take one example, Michael and his group reported in September (opens a new tab) that training AI debaters to win — and not just to converse, as in the past two studies — further increased the ability of non-expert judges to recognize the truth. —Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

Noun

James Devaney Vivienne, of course, joined Jolie on opening night of The Outsiders, dressing on-theme in a navy utilitarian jumpsuit and converse. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 21 Sep. 2024

Later, Lacy watches inquisitively as Janet converses with Avi (Elias Koteas), the leader of a cultish theatrical troupe who sets his sights on her. —Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to live (with), from Anglo-French converser, from Latin conversari

Noun (1)

Middle English convers, from Anglo-French converse, from converser

Noun (2) and Adjective

Latin conversus, past participle of convertere — see convert entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1570, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing converse

• the converse

Kids Definition

converse

1 of 3 verb

con·​verse kən-ˈvərs 

conversed; conversing

: to engage in conversation : talk

converser noun

converse

2 of 3 noun

con·​verse ˈkän-ˌvərs 

: something that is the opposite of something else

converse

3 of 3 adjective

con·​verse kən-ˈvərs 

ˈkän-ˌvərs

: reversed in order, relation, or action

conversely adverb

Etymology

Verb

Middle English conversen "to live with," from early French converser (same meaning), from Latin conversari "to pass one's life, be associated with," derived from convertere "to turn around, change," from con- "with, together" and vertere "to turn" — related to anniversary, converse entry 3, controversy, divert, reverse, universe, vertical, versatile, vice versa

Adjective

from Latin conversus, past participle of convertere "to turn around, change," from con- "with, together" and vertere "to turn" — related to converse entry 1