palaver Synonyms
Another word for palaver
• noun (Context 1)
Prolonged, idle, or tedious talk, or unnecessary fuss and commotion over a trivial matter.
"Getting the permits approved was a complete prattle that took nearly three weeks of endless paperwork."
• noun (Context 2)
An improvised conference, parley, or lengthy negotiation, historically between European traders and local inhabitants in West Africa.
"The expedition leaders held a long parley with the village elders to secure safe passage through the valley."
• verb (Context 3)
To talk at length and unproductively, or to engage in idle chatter or parley.
"The committee members palavered for hours without reaching a single actionable decision."
• noun (Context 4)
Flattering, wheedling, or cajoling talk intended to deceive or persuade someone.
"She saw right through the salesman's smooth cajolery and refused to sign the contract."
• verb (Context 5)
To flatter, wheedle, or cajole someone with fast or deceptive talk.
"He tried to cajole the guard into letting him through the gate after hours."
Opposites of palaver
The opposite of palaver shifts depending on context. Common opposites include: