If you have a conversationwith someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
He's a talkative guy, and I struck up a conversation with him. [+ with]
I waited for her to finish a telephone conversation.
Synonyms: talk, exchange, discussion, dialogue More Synonyms of conversation
2.
See in conversation
3.
See make conversation
conversation in British English
(ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃən)
noun
1.
the interchange through speech of information, ideas, etc; spoken communication
2. make conversation
▶ Related adjective: colloquial
conversation in American English
(ˌkɑnvərˈseɪʃən)
noun
1.
the act or an instance of talking together
; specif.,
a.
familiar talk; verbal exchange of ideas, opinions, etc.
b.
an informal conference on a problem or area of interest by representatives of governments, factions, etc.
2.
sexual intercourse
now only in the legal phrase criminal conversation, i.e., adultery as grounds for divorce or other action
3. Archaic
manner of living; behavior
4. Obsolete
social intercourse
5. Obsolete
familiarity based on study or use
Word origin
ME conversacioun < OFr conversation < L conversatio < pp. of conversari: see converse1
COBUILD Collocations
conversation
awkward conversation
casual conversation
difficult conversation
dinner conversation
heart-to-heart conversation
honest conversation
meaningful conversation
polite conversation
quiet conversation
Examples of 'conversation' in a sentence
conversation
This book will prompt happy conversations about what matters most.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Suddenly we were in the midst of an earnest conversation about my fear of failure as a writer.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
The next month teachers reported that the pair and a third pupil had a long conversation about suicide with a member of staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I’m interested in this is because I’m now engaged in trying to change the conversation about conservation.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
A deep conversation can transform a relationship into a genuine love bond.
The Sun (2016)
We're getting to the point where we want to include her in our conversations and laugh about times with her.
The Sun (2016)
Don't arrive and embark on a conversation about how tough you are finding it to get your parking ticket money back from the council.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The fun part of the job is having the creative conversations about where to take the channel.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The ideas also become the basis of informal conversations over coffee or lunch.
Christianity Today (2000)
We found somewhere quiet to chat and the conversation became deep and personal.
The Sun (2014)
Try to end the conversation as soon as possible after that.
The Sun (2007)
You should always be able to hold a conversation while walking fast and jogging slowly.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The demands of his career meant that serious conversations about the relationship occurred early on.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Most employee issues like this can be resolved with a simple informal conversation.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It feels risky to have that deep conversation about love but it gets things moving.
The Sun (2013)
He reluctantly did but continued holding a loud conversation with our driver.
The Sun (2015)
He always carried a list of erudite subjects to dinner to talk about if conversation should flag.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Just have a conversation about how to make your visits work.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Deep conversation about the point of marriage and love.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But the idea of holding an intelligent conversation with an animal has only seriously been explored with chimpanzees.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He compiled a dossier of observations, conversations and speeches which led to convictions.
The Sun (2008)
Before my girlfriend could reply, the guy blocked the conversation.
The Sun (2015)
But in an advertisement featuring only a conversation, the speech can go out at maximum volume.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The doctor was a small man behind a big desk, but our conversations seemed informal.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I wondered whether the T-shirt slogan might not be used to sign off telephone conversations.
The Sun (2006)
Quotations
The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as being heardWilliam HazlittThe Plain Speaker
That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm quiet interchange of sentimentsSamuel Johnson
In conversation discretion is more important than eloquenceBaltasar GraciánThe Art of Worldly Wisdom
Conversation is the enemy of good wine and foodAlfred Hitchcock
In other languages
conversation
British English: conversation /ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃən/ NOUN
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk to each other, usually in an informal situation.
I had a conversation with him.
American English: conversation
Arabic: مُحَادَثَة
Brazilian Portuguese: conversa
Chinese: 会话
Croatian: razgovor
Czech: rozhovor
Danish: samtale
Dutch: conversatie
European Spanish: conversación
Finnish: keskustelu
French: conversation
German: Unterhaltung
Greek: συνομιλία
Italian: conversazione
Japanese: 会話
Korean: 대화
Norwegian: konversasjon
Polish: rozmowa
European Portuguese: conversa
Romanian: conversație
Russian: разговор
Latin American Spanish: conversación
Swedish: samtal
Thai: บทสนทนา
Turkish: konuşma
Ukrainian: бесіда
Vietnamese: cuộc nói chuyện
All related terms of 'conversation'
in conversation
If you say that people are in conversation , you mean that they are talking together.
conversation class
a class in which one learns to speak a foreign language
conversation piece
something, esp an unusual object, that provokes conversation
conversation pit
a usually sunken portion of a room or living area with chairs , sofas , etc., often grouped around a fireplace , where people can gather to talk
make conversation
If you make conversation , you talk to someone in order to be polite and not because you really want to.
quiet conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
awkward conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
casual conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
conversation stopper
a comment that is so shocking or boring that people stop talking
criminal conversation
(formerly) a common law action brought by a husband by which he claimed damages against an adulterer
difficult conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
dinner conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
honest conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
polite conversation
Someone who is polite has good manners and behaves in a way that is socially correct and not rude to other people.
meaningful conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
heart-to-heart conversation
If you have a conversation with someone, you talk with them, usually in an informal situation.
Chinese translation of 'conversation'
conversation
(kɔnvəˈseɪʃən)
n(c/u)
交谈(談) (jiāotán) (次, cì)
to have a conversation (about sth/with sb)(和某人)谈(談)(某事) ((hé mǒurén) tán (mǒushì))
to make conversation说(說)应(應)酬话(話) (shuō yìngchóuhuà)
All related terms of 'conversation'
to make conversation
说(說)应(應)酬话(話) shuō yìngchóuhuà
to make polite conversation
谈(談)吐斯文 tántǔ sīwén
to engage sb in conversation
使某人参(參)加谈(談)话(話) shǐ mǒurén cānjiā tánhuà
to be deep in thought/conversation
沉思/深谈(談) chénsī/shēntán
to be buzzing with activity/conversation
充斥着(著)活动(動)/谈(談)论(論) chōngchìzhe huódòng/tánlùn
to have a conversation (about sth/with sb)
(和某人)谈(談)(某事) (hé mǒurén) tán (mǒushì)
(noun)
Definition
informal talk between two or more people
Our telephone conversation lasted an hour and a half.
Synonyms
talk
I think it's time we had a talk.
exchange
I had a brief exchange with him before I left.
discussion
There was a discussion about the wording of the report.
dialogue
Those who witnessed their dialogue spoke of high emotion.
tête-à-tête
a brief tête-à-tête between the two leaders
conference
communication
The problem is a lack of real communication between you.
chat
She asked me into her office for a chat.
gossip
intercourse (formal)
There was social intercourse between the old and the young.
discourse
a tradition of political discourse
communion
converse
powwow
colloquy (formal)
chinwag (British, informal)
confabulation
confab (informal)
craic (Irish, informal)
korero (New Zealand)
related words
related adjectivecolloquial
Quotations
The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as being heard [William Hazlitt – The Plain Speaker]That is the happiest conversation where there is no competition, no vanity, but a calm quiet interchange of sentiments [Samuel Johnson]In conversation discretion is more important than eloquence [Baltasar Gracián – The Art of Worldly Wisdom]Conversation is the enemy of good wine and food [Alfred Hitchcock]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chat
Definition
an informal conversation
She asked me into her office for a chat.
Synonyms
talk,
tête-à-tête,
conversation,
gossip,
heart-to-heart,
natter,
blather,
schmooze (slang),
blether (Scottish),
chinwag (British, informal),
confab (informal),
craic (Irish, informal),
korero (New Zealand)
in the sense of colloquy
Definition
a conversation or conference
Synonyms
talk,
conference,
debate,
discussion,
conversation,
dialogue,
discourse,
confabulation (formal),
korero (New Zealand)
in the sense of communication
Definition
the exchange of information, ideas, or feelings
The problem is a lack of real communication between you.