chatted; chatting
Synonyms of chat

intransitive verb

1
2
a
: to talk in an informal or familiar manner
b
: to take part in an online discussion in a chat room

transitive verb

chiefly British : to talk to
especially : to talk lightly, glibly, or flirtatiously with
often used with up

chat

2 of 2

noun

1
: idle small talk : chatter
2
: light informal or familiar talk
especially : conversation
3
[imitative] : any of several songbirds (as of the genera Emarginata or Myrmecocichla)
4
: online discussion in a chat room
also : an instance of such discussion
participate in computer chats

Examples of chat in a Sentence

Verb We chatted about our plans for the summer. called him up to chat She stayed up all night chatting with her friends online. Noun We enjoyed a chat over coffee. software used for e-mail and chat
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
People continue to mill around the Jeep, chatting casually, trying to understand what has happened. Sydney Brownstone, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026 Backstage, the duo chatted with PEOPLE about the weight of stepping into the beloved franchise and introducing their own flair to the Owens’ universe. Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
Some don't seem tied to the obvious icon meanings to me, such as a paintbrush for adding photos to the active composer, or a party popper shooting confetti as the icon for opening a side chat. Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 Crucially, privacy is a major concern, as AI chats are typically not confidential and can be accessed or used by developers. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chat

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English chatten, short for chatteren

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chat was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chat. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

chatted; chatting
1
: to talk in a friendly manner about things that are not serious
2
: to take part in an online discussion in a chat room

chat

2 of 2 noun
1
: a light friendly conversation
2
: a talk held over the Internet by people using a chat room
3
: any of several songbirds with a chattering call

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