conversation
Americannoun
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informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk.
how to master the art of conversation.
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such interchange by sign language, email, or other nonoral means of communication.
I enjoy our time on the phone, but she prefers conversation by texting.
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an instance of this.
I had a long phone conversation with my cousin in Florida.
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an informal public exchange of ideas or opinions about a particular issue; a dialogue.
It’s time for a global conversation about the epidemic.
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association or social intercourse.
a year's conversation with him as his caregiver and friend.
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the ability to talk socially with others.
She writes well but has no conversation.
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Obsolete.
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behavior or manner of living.
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close familiarity; intimate acquaintance, as from constant use or study.
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noun
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the interchange through speech of information, ideas, etc; spoken communication
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to talk in an artificial way
Other Word Forms
- preconversation noun
Etymology
Origin of conversation
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English conversacio(u)n, from Latin conversātiōn- (stem of conversātiō ) “familiarity, conduct, behavior,” equivalent to conversāt(us), past participle of conversārī “to associate with” + -iōn- noun suffix; converse 1, -ion
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.
“We began the conversations around a question: What would it look like if the resort were guided by a stewardship model that more fully reflected the long-term interests of the region that depends on it?”
In the nearby West Bank city of Ramallah, 15 kilometres north of Jerusalem, Palestinians mostly carried on with life as usual, with markets in full swing and conversations only occasionally interrupted by overhead blasts.
From Barron's
“It’s been so fun to see contestants enjoying smoked salmon on a daily basis… Anytime smoked salmon becomes part of the cultural conversation, it’s a win for the category.”
From Salon
Despite the national conversation, the House failed to approve a bill Tuesday that would have required all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems to prevent crashes like the one in D.C.
From Los Angeles Times
People also need to be more willing to discuss race and have "hard conversations" with those perpetuating "deeply problematic" rhetoric as people do not fear any social repercussions, Strong added.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
