PALAVERS Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

palavers 1 of 2

noun

plural of palaver

as in discussions

an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue seemingly endless palaver between the negotiating parties

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in chats

friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this we should get together and have a nice palaver sometime

Synonyms & Similar Words

palavers

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of palaver

as in talks

to engage in casual or rambling conversation mothers palavering and drinking coffee while watching their children play

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in coaxes

to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery I let the salesclerk at the electronics store palaver me into a service contract that I didn't need

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palavers

Noun

According to people familiar with discussions about the policy, Bennett’s prior objections were a message intended for his domestic political constituency.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
Typically, when someone wants to donate large sums to a nonprofit, weeks or months of discussions ensue.

— Christopher Spata, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of discussions

Noun

Check out THR‘s Screen Talks coverage from this year’s London Film Festival and chats with Andrew Scott, John Malkovich, Javier Bardem, Naomi Ackie, Ava DuVernay, Cynthia Erivo, Sofia Coppola and Danny Boyle.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
But those friendships don’t stop mattering when the school day ends, especially when group chats and social media keep everyone connected.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of chats

Verb

Publicly, Pacific Fusion talks mostly about its future ability to supply electricity, a promise the fusion industry has made for years.

— Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Instead of using labels, Alkhatib talks his guests through the treasures, which include a marble model of the Taj Mahal, a geode from Morocco and a silver elephant sculpture from Sri Lanka.

— Dina Cheney, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of talks

Verb

The warm, dry climate coaxes concentrated fruit from a dizzying range of soils, yielding powerful wines that recontextualize familiar varieties.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 June 2026
In the premium tier are Royal Caribbean and the adults-only Virgin Voyages, which coaxes guests to party with a wink and a nod, hosting onboard events like the welcome Pajama Party and the popular, immersive Scarlet Night at least once per voyage.

— Scott Laird, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

Definition of coaxes

Noun

The department also offers security consultations to help businesses identify vulnerabilities and improve their safety measures.

— Tara Lynch, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
British officials have been expected to make a decision since August, when public consultations on the two projects closed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of consultations

Verb

Entire product categories that were barely imaginable in 2020 are now weekend projects such as a tutor that converses in Mandarin, a paralegal that drafts and redlines, and a designer that produces forty variations before lunch.

— Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Epstein converses with Summers Larry Summers, Clinton’s Treasury secretary and the director of the National Economic Council under former President Obama, corresponded with Epstein numerous times via email.

— Max Rego, The Hill, 13 Nov. 2025

Definition of converses

Noun

This contestation takes place through philosophical debates, religious disputations, and public discussions, whether direct or indirect, open or clandestine.

— Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Over the decades, the motives for ending public executions and moving them into prisons have varied – frequently separate from debates over capital punishment.

— the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of debates

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.

Browse Nearby Words

palavering

palavers

pale

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Palavers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palavers. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of palavers

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes