idiom · informal
small talk
/smɔːl tɔːk/SMALL TALK
casual conversation about unimportant things, often used when meeting people socially
Examples
“They made small talk about the weather before getting down to business.”
“At the reception we only had some small talk, nothing deep.”
“She hates small talk and prefers serious discussions.”
Band 8 sentence
“In international settings, mastering small talk—brief, neutral exchanges about topics like the weather—can really help build rapport before any negotiation.”
Collocations
- make small talk
- engage in small talk
Word family
Common mistakes
do small talk→make small talk
a small talk→small talk
We had some small talks→We had some small talk
Say it for a higher band
5chat→6small conversation→7+small talk
Synonyms
chit‑chat
Easily confused
gossip
“They spent the afternoon gossiping about celebrities.”
Related words
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In Communication
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