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.
When Vladimir Putin was captured by a hot mic telling Xi Jinping that humans could achieve immortality by replacing their organs, some dismissed the exchange as eccentric small talk between aging autocrats.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Imagine if you’re a nominee, getting shuttled to and fro, shaking hands and making small talk.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 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
A quick "You okay?" followed by "Yeah, I'm fine" is surface-level small talk.
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
At a formal dinner once a professor of some science or other, wanting to make small talk, had pointed out a few insects gyrating above a candelabra.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
