small talk

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The retailer's attempt to humanise its chat bot may have backfired, as some users said that Olive was "obnoxious," while another said that they found its small talk "aggravating."

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

The 44-year-old listened to her colleagues’ speeches and those of other hopefuls, made small talk with fellow members and then left.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

The question is nothing more than a politician’s well-worn small talk, but Travis says, gravely, “You should clean up this city here.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

It’s an offering that doesn’t require perfect timing, small talk, or even a shared schedule.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

It took a concerted effort to keep from telling Yusef to go away, that this was obviously a bad time for small talk, that he clearly had no idea how to read social cues—

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi