high-level talks

USAGE SUMMARY

"high-level talks" is a perfectly acceptable phrase to use in written English.
It usually refers to just what the phrase implies: formal discussions between senior decision-makers. For example, "The two countries are engaged in high-level talks to resolve their territorial dispute."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

N Korea proposes US high-level talks Jump to media player North Korea has proposed high-level talks with the US days after cancelling a meeting with South Korean officials.

BBC

High-level talks scheduled for April have not been canceled.

The New York Times

See articleSerbia and Kosovo began high-level talks in Brussels.

The Economist

The suggestion was that participants in the high-level talks would be of cabinet rank.

The New York Times

The document will be discussed at high-level talks this week.

The Guardian

We're expecting high-level talks, including a meeting with Germany's finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble.

The Guardian - Business

The United States and China have not held high-level talks on cyberwar issues, specialists say.

The New York Times

A consensus on "one China" in 1992 paved the way for high-level talks, since frozen.

The New York Times

(The Washington Post has a new report on high-level talks).

The New Yorker

Nor do we believe this is the right time to consider such high-level talks".

The Guardian

But recent high-level talks exposed the chasm that exists between Moscow and Tokyo.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Reserve this phrase for situations involving decision-makers with the authority to commit their organizations or countries to a specific course of action.

Common error

Avoid using "high-level talks" to describe standard meetings between mid-level managers or staff. Doing so dilutes the meaning of the phrase and can make the writing appear hyperbolic or inaccurate. In such cases, use "meetings" or "discussions" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "high-level talks" functions as a noun phrase where "high-level" is a compound adjective modifying the plural noun "talks". As noted by Ludwig AI, it refers to formal discussions between senior decision-makers. In sentences, it typically acts as the direct object of verbs like "hold", "propose", "resume" or "cancel".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Social Media

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "high-level talks" is an essential phrase for describing significant diplomatic and professional interactions. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a perfectly acceptable and standard English expression. The data shows an overwhelming prevalence in high-authority news sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, where it is used to denote negotiations involving senior officials. Writers should remember to use the hyphen for the compound adjective and reserve the term for truly consequential meetings to maintain its impactful meaning. Whether discussing international relations or major corporate mergers, this phrase remains the definitive choice for highlighting senior-level engagement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

top-level negotiations

Suggests a higher intensity of bargaining compared to the more general term talks.

senior-level discussions

Focuses more on the seniority of the individuals than the strategic importance of the event.

ministerial talks

Specifically identifies that the participants hold the rank of government ministers.

diplomatic dialogue

A more formal and abstract way to describe ongoing communication between states.

high-profile meetings

Emphasizes the visibility and public interest rather than just the hierarchy.

summit meetings

Typically reserved for heads of state or the absolute highest ranking officials.

strategic consultations

Implies a focus on long-term planning rather than immediate negotiation or conflict resolution.

intergovernmental talks

Clarifies that the participants represent different national governments.

bilateral negotiations

Specifically denotes that the talks are occurring between two parties.

cabinet-level discussions

Precisely defines the rank as being equivalent to a government cabinet member.

FAQs

How to use "high-level talks" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe important negotiations, for example: "The two nations agreed to hold "high-level talks" to resolve the border dispute."

Is "high-level talks" hyphenated?

Yes, when "high-level" acts as an adjective modifying "talks", it should be hyphenated. Without the hyphen, the meaning could be ambiguous.

What can I say instead of "high-level talks"?

Depending on the context, you might use "top-level negotiations", "senior-level discussions" or even a "summit" for the highest possible level.

What is the difference between "high-level talks" and a summit?

While "high-level talks" refers to discussions between senior officials, a "summit" usually specifically implies the involvement of heads of state or government.