chatting away

USAGE SUMMARY

"chatting away" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to describe someone who is happily and animatedly talking or conversing with someone else. For example, "The two friends sat in the cafe for hours, chatting away about their upcoming plans for the summer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was just chatting away".

The New Yorker

We were chatting away.

The Guardian

After three hours, we were chatting away.

The Guardian - Travel

They were soon chatting away with Mrs Obama.

Independent

I was chatting away, and getting absolutely nowhere with her.

The New York Times

When I awoke, Pedro and the girl were chatting away amiably.

The New York Times - Magazine

EARLY TO BED Between chatting away and cleaning up and dessert, it's 9.

The New York Times

As he was chatting away to me swear words started creaping in to his vocabulary.

The Guardian

Shit! Damn!" And Sacks was chatting away – which at the time struck me as bizarre.

The Guardian - Books

Seamie is sat up in the medical room and chatting away and seems fine".

The Guardian - Sport

And the television remained on, breezily, constantly, chatting away to this nightmarish scene.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "chatting away" to depict a lively, informal conversation where participants are engaged and comfortable. It adds a touch of warmth and familiarity to your writing.

Common error

While "chatting away" is perfectly acceptable in many situations, refrain from using it in highly formal or professional documents. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "discussing" or "conversing" in those settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "chatting away" functions as a phrasal verb, specifically an intransitive verb. It describes the action of engaging in casual and continuous conversation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and frequent usage in various contexts, as seen in the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Wiki

3%

Huffington Post

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "chatting away" is a common and grammatically correct phrasal verb used to describe someone engaged in a lighthearted, continuous conversation. Ludwig AI confirms this phrase is particularly prevalent in the News & Media. While widely accepted, it is best suited for informal contexts and should be replaced with more formal alternatives like "discussing" or "conversing" in professional settings. Remember to use it to add warmth and familiarity to your writing, and avoid overuse in formal documents.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conversing freely

Emphasizes the ease and openness of the conversation.

gabbing away

Similar to chatting, but with a slightly more lighthearted or gossipy connotation.

engaging in conversation

Focuses on the active participation in a dialogue.

talking incessantly

Highlights the continuous and possibly overwhelming nature of the talking.

shooting the breeze

Implies a casual and relaxed conversation, often about unimportant topics.

running on

Highlights the continuous and uninterrupted nature of the speech.

having a discussion

Suggests a more structured and potentially serious exchange of ideas.

prattling on

Implies foolish or inconsequential talk.

yacking on

Conveys a sense of trivial or excessive talking.

visiting

This alternative means having a conversation, often implying a social context.

FAQs

How can I use "chatting away" in a sentence?

You can use "chatting away" to describe people engaging in a lighthearted and continuous conversation, such as: "They were "chatting away" like old friends".

What's a more formal alternative to "chatting away"?

For formal contexts, consider using phrases like "engaging in conversation", "discussing", or "conversing" instead of "chatting away".

Is "chatting away" appropriate for business writing?

While not strictly incorrect, "chatting away" is generally too informal for most business writing. Opt for a more professional term like "communicating" or "discussing".

What is the difference between "chatting away" and "talking incessantly"?

"Chatting away" implies a pleasant and engaged conversation, while "talking incessantly" suggests a continuous and potentially overwhelming or annoying manner of speaking.