Record a Pronunciation
v. To make small talk or informally chat; to network, kiss up.
"I went to a party the other night and schmoozed with my boss."
"Avoid that conference at all costs. Total shmooze-fest."
Record a Sentence
from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn 'to converse, chat' (verbal stem is שמועס shmues), originally from Hebrew שמועות 'things that are heard'
shmues, shmooze
Originally used only with the Yiddish meaning ('chat'), this word has changed in American English and now also means 'network'. It has also changed from being intransitive to being both intransitive and transitive (now we can "shmooze with somebody," "shmooze somebody," or "shmooze up" somebody we want to curry favor with).
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