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 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

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

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