How to Use small talk in a Sentence

small talk

noun
  • They made small talk while waiting for the meeting to start.
  • Our small talk happened in the mornings and in the nights.
    Zito Madu, The New Republic, 30 Mar. 2021
  • Amid the tears and small talk, the group stopped and gave Jane Doe 1 a round of applause.
    Matthias Gafni, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 June 2021
  • That’s why the small talk in this city isn’t about weather.
    Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2021
  • One of them makes small talk, asking about the name of his dog.
    Scott Bronstein, CNN, 9 July 2020
  • It’s the kind of thing that stops small talk and makes tough guys confess.
    Sasha Frere-Jones, Harper’s Magazine , 9 Nov. 2022
  • In the mind of someone with this sign, there is no point in small talk.
    Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 25 Oct. 2019
  • Who has time for small talk when the clock is about to strike midnight?
    Karla Pope, Good Housekeeping, 27 Nov. 2022
  • Didn’t have a whole lot to say, just a little small talk.
    Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2020
  • Others are drawn to the idea of avoiding small talk and the pressure to tip.
    Corina Knoll, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
  • Dear OOO, How much small talk is the right amount in video meetings?
    Megan Greenwell, Wired, 2 June 2021
  • Williams had made some small talk and then threatened her with a gun.
    Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 15 Oct. 2020
  • Just a clumsy elbow bump and a few worlds of small talk.
    oregonlive, 12 Apr. 2020
  • Now there was no small talk with neighbors in the grocery store.
    New York Times, 21 Feb. 2022
  • Matt makes the kind of small talk that signals his fear of being alone with his thoughts.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2024
  • Grant found fault with James making small talk with the kids who came to the Red Team to get burgers.
    Kturnqui, oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2023
  • So, with the handshakes and small talk now behind them, this could be where the rubber hits the road.
    Eric Talmadge, Fox News, 4 July 2018
  • Throughout her nearly 70 years on the throne, the 95-year-old monarch has mastered the art of small talk.
    Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, 23 Aug. 2021
  • After some small talk, Cook invites the man to wait out the delay with him in the first-class lounge.
    Washington Post, 11 Jan. 2022
  • So are the morning commutes and small talk and lunch dates and handshakes.
    S. Mitra Kalita, Fortune, 26 May 2021
  • The children fished for tadpoles in the stone pond while the rest of us snacked on fava beans and made small talk.
    Jamie Quatro, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2023
  • But even their small talk has a flirtatious tone to it.
    Iana Murray, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2021
  • Their friendship started the way most do: with small talk.
    Washington Post, 21 July 2021
  • Make a bit of small talk or, better yet, ask Vic a question.
    BostonGlobe.com, 1 Nov. 2021
  • The pair made brief small talk as Greene debated whether to run or scream or make a scene.
    Matthias Gafni, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Apr. 2021
  • Now, there are lots of chances to bump into people, catch up, and make small talk.
    Robin Abrahams, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Nov. 2022
  • The team is excited to meet you, make small talk, and ad-lib a bunch of questions to fill time.
    Alex Baia, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2022
  • After some small talk, Ms. Ozuna wrapped him a shiny black cape and got to work.
    Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2019
  • The officer and Colt exchanged small talk about school, the end of school and moving on to high school.
    Stepheny Price, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2024
  • High achievers know that networking doesn’t just mean making small talk and handing out business cards at events.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'small talk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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