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.

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 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

Food does what small talk so often can’t: it lowers the stakes, signals goodwill, and creates a tiny bridge where there was previously just a hallway.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

It was all common small talk, and Zeitoun was tuning out when Jerry changed his tone and line of questioning.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers