dialogue
Americannoun
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conversation between two or more persons.
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the conversation between characters in a novel, drama, etc.
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an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, especially a political or religious issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.
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a literary work in the form of a conversation.
a dialogue of Plato.
verb (used without object)
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to carry on a dialogue; converse.
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to discuss areas of disagreement frankly in order to resolve them.
verb (used with object)
noun
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conversation between two or more people
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an exchange of opinions on a particular subject; discussion
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the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction
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a particular passage of conversation in a literary or dramatic work
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a literary composition in the form of a dialogue
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a political discussion between representatives of two nations or groups
verb
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(tr) to put into the form of a dialogue
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(intr) to take part in a dialogue; converse
Other Word Forms
- dialogic adjective
- dialoguer noun
- self-dialog noun
- self-dialogue noun
- underdialogue noun
Etymology
Origin of dialogue
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French dïalogue, Latin dialogus, from Greek diálogos; equivalent to dia- + -logue
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"By law, the government must first dialogue with the people who have a right to choose a place where they feel safe," David says.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
A second senior government official also confirmed the talks, adding: "The meeting is to set a base for full-scale dialogue."
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
Why couldn’t the complexity have been the dialogue from the beginning, instead of the play-dumb cartoon “The AI Doc” feels like for so long?
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
For his 1970 novel, “Bomber,” a fictionalization of a Royal Air Force raid over Germany in 1943, he spoke to survivors and listened to wartime tape recordings to get the dialogue right.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
I could hear the bolt being slid into place, and then a racket of furniture banging and panicked dialogue.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.