schmooze
Work the room
Schmooze means to chat in a friendly, often strategic way—making small talk to build connections or curry favor.
The word comes from Yiddish and carries a whiff of insincerity: He spent the cocktail hour schmoozing potential investors.
A schmoozer works a room.
Schmoozing can be genuine socializing, but often implies networking with an agenda.
Informal light conversation
- small-talkLight, casual conversation
- banterPlayful, teasing exchange
- gabLight, meaningless talk
- rapportHarmonious mutual connection
confab · palaver · jaw · chin-wag · natter · hobnob · tête-à-tête · pleasantries
Interact socially with others
- conferenceOrganized meeting for discussion
- mixerCombines ingredients or people
- glad-handGreet with feigned warmth
- name-dropCite acquaintances for status
connect · dealmaking · entrepreneur · investor · stakeholder · clientele · pitch · corporate
Flatter to persuade
- charmAttractive personal quality
- ingratiateSeek another's approval
- fawnYoung deer, or flatter
- suck-upOne who flatters superiors
smooth-talk · compliment · toady · sycophant · obsequious · apple-polish · flattery · bootlick
chitchat
Informal light conversation
- small-talkLight, casual conversation
- banterPlayful, teasing exchange
- gabLight, meaningless talk
rapport · confab · palaver · jaw · chin-wag · natter · hobnob · tête-à-tête · pleasantries · ice-breaker
mingle
Interact socially with others
- conferenceOrganized meeting for discussion
- mixerCombines ingredients or people
- glad-handGreet with feigned warmth
name-drop · connect · dealmaking · entrepreneur · investor · stakeholder · clientele · pitch · corporate · partnership
sweet-talk
Flatter to persuade
- charmAttractive personal quality
- ingratiateSeek another's approval
- fawnYoung deer, or flatter
suck-up · smooth-talk · compliment · toady · sycophant · obsequious · apple-polish · flattery · bootlick · brown-nose
schmaltz
Poultry fat or sentimentality
kibitz · nosh · klutz · maven · mensch · schlep · schlock · schmuck · schnoz · kosher
influence
Power to affect others
- swayRock back and forth
- coaxPersuade by gentle urging
- smooth-talkerPersuasive, flattering speaker
soft-sell · finesse · wheedle · convince · disarm · negotiate · arm-twist · lobby · pitch
- socializingmingle, mingles, mingling, party, parties
- discussionsdiscussion, discussions, forum, talks, roundtable
- persuasion tacticscharm, butter up, flattery, flatter, coax
- talkchat, chatter, chitchat, gab, jabber
- table-talkchat, banter, gossip, small talk, chitchat
- Yiddishchutzpah, kvetch, mensch, schlep, tchotchke
schmoozebe authentic
Act without pretense
confide · open up · bare one's soul · level with · speak plainly
schmoozewithdraw
Remove or pull away
avoid · keep to oneself · shun · ignore · isolate
schmoozetell it like it is
Speak with complete candor
cut to the chase · confront · speak plainly · not mince words · offend
schmoozing, schmoozer, schmoose, schmoozy, schmoozed, schmoozes, schmooses, schmoozers, schmoosed