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.
She describes an awkward car ride with Melania to Trump’s 2024 inauguration, another tradition, fraught with strained small talk about Barron’s time at New York University and the recent passing of Melania’s mother.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
Some, the executive said, were using powerful premium-tier models to answer the simplest of questions, or just engage in small talk.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 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
A quick "You okay?" followed by "Yeah, I'm fine" is surface-level small talk.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
The rule here is that one must be escorted up to the reading room in a lift, whose cramped space makes small talk compulsory as far as I’m concerned.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
