Schmooze and shmooze

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Grammarist

Schmooze and shmooze are two spellings of the same word. We will examine the definition of the word schmooze or shmooze, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.

To schmooze means to network, to talk with people in order to make business or friendly connections, to talk with someone in a way that sells yourself. Schmooze is primarily an American word that has been derived from the Yiddish word shmuesn which means to chat. Schmooze may be used as a noun or a verb, related words are schmoozes, schmoozed, schmoozing, schmoozer. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the preferred spelling is schmooze. The secondary spelling is shmooze, related words are shmoozes, shmoozed, shmoozing, shmoozer.

Examples

They sit at a long table, say the traditional Friday night prayers together and then schmooze for an hour or so before heading home to their gated communities in their golf carts. (The Jewish Journal)

Whether you’re into hand-building, wheel-throwing, tile-making or just a nice shmooze, you’ll be welcome! (The Longmont Observer)

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Steve “posing with money is one of the great joys of my life” Mnuchin positively bristled at the notion that Davos is some kind of shmooze fest that runs counter to Trump’s “America First, Screw Everyone Else” agenda. (Vanity Fair Magazine)

To find out more about how Silverman took on the role and where the project has taken her, The Times of Israel shmoozed with the actor, comic and writer on the eve of her receiving the Spotlight Award at this month’s Mill Valley Film Festival. (The Times of Israel)

While some peppered the congressmen with questions, others were happy just to schmooze. (The Providence Journal)