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 small talk of a taxi ride is the beating heart of British chit-chat - a soundtrack to thousands of journeys across London and beyond.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 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

She half-expected to suffer through another week of lackluster group excursions and awkward small talk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Anyway, there was this excruciating half hour of small talk, and then my mom finally stood up and said she was going to leave my dad and me alone for a minute.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli