schmooze 1 of 2

noun

Definition of schmoozenext
as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this had to master the art of the schmooze if she wanted to get ahead in the business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

schmooze

2 of 2

verb

ˈshmüz How to pronounce schmooze (audio)
variants or shmooze
as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation spent every spare minute of the conference schmoozing with the industry's power players

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of schmooze
Noun
This is a wonderful day to schmooze with others, especially your daily contacts. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 9 June 2026 But mostly folks had come to schmooze and to take in the entertainment Davis had arranged. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Maloofs wanted a coach who would go to the mall to schmooze with season ticket holders. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026 The horseshoe, with all its attendant implications of lobbyists schmoozing legislators, has more than had its day. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for schmooze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for schmooze
  1. chat
  2. talk
  3. chatter
  4. converse
  5. gab
Noun
  • Kids arrive at stores with opinions already shaped by group chats, AI tools and social feeds, and preferences can flip quickly once the season is underway.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Despite a dizzying number of podcasts, the sports world lacks wry, newsy video chats of true depth, at least since Around the Horn went off the air.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of chat
Verb
  • Fleming by body camera footage, approached Parker, who was talking on his cellphone.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe a family watches a favorite performer together, while nearby strangers start talking because someone forgot sunscreen and their friend packed enough for six people.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of talk
Noun
  • Tech Challenges While the chair’s speech and the sideline chatter about economic and political events frequently dominate news from the symposium, Jackson Hole is also an important forum for high level debate on economic research.
    — Maria Eloisa Capurro, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In a sprightly performance rife with oddball mannerisms, Gnecco gives Borges equal parts impish wisdom, earthy vulgarity and childlike wonder, rarely letting a moment’s silence go unfilled with eager chatter.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of chatter
Verb
  • However, your customers should never feel like their only choice is to converse with a bot.
    — John Hall, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers have built ArabCulture-Dialogue, the first benchmark for testing whether leading AI models can understand and converse in Modern Standard Arabic and 13 national dialects.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of converse
Noun
  • Marouane Zotti, who plays Luca, Buteau’s love interest in Survival of The Thickest, has flown in from Italy to join the group, while Peppermint gabs with Odyssey actor and close friend Elliot Page.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026
  • With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 5 June 2026
Definition of gab

Browse Nearby Words

schmoes
schmooze
schmoozed
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Schmooze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/schmooze. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All