People Who Keep Talking & Talking Just To Avoid Silence Usually Say 9 Phrases In Casual Conversation
La Famiglia | Shutterstock Even though long pauses and silence can be awkward in conversations, embracing these pauses is actually a superpower.
They give people a chance to think before they speak, and can also help make people feel more comfortable expressing themselves. That's why active listeners do such a wonderful job at making people feel heard. But we all know the kinds of people who just keep talking and talking to avoid silence, and they use these casual phrases.
Phrases people say when they keep talking to avoid silence
1. 'Well, what else is new?'
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Many people crave deep conversations and depth even with people they've just met, but few know how to get to that place of connection without oversharing. They continue to come back to stereotypical questions like this to fill the silence, without offering any genuine curiosity.
They can't cope with discomfort or create space for people to think without talking all the time, and it ends up being a buffer to the depth they're actually yearning for.
2. 'So...'
When people try to control conversations and avoid silence by talking constantly, it often reveals their inner turmoil. They're not comfortable with silence because they're not comfortable with uncertainty.
"So" might seem like a classic phrase with no real meaning, but if you're noticing someone's unease during small talk or in a conversation winding down, it can be a sign that they're seeking control.
3. 'I'm so tired'
Many people feeling insecure will get ahead of the opinions they believe others are crafting about them by using phrases like this. They try to make excuses for what they perceive to be awkward behavior before someone else has the chance to comment on it, because it makes them feel in control of the narrative.
"I'm distracted" or "I'm so tired" help them feel more comfortable when conversations fall flat. They've found a way to excuse the discomfort that they're so offended by.
4. 'The weather is crazy'
Resorting to the weather to save you from awkwardness in a conversation is a classic move. You're in line at Trader Joe's with a talkative cashier or sitting with a first date without any more questions in your brain. Sometimes, your environment really does feel like the most accessible topic.
While it might feel somewhat cheesy and could even make a conversation more awkward, it can feel safer to someone trying to avoid their own insecurities.
5. 'Nice'
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Some people struggling with awkwardness may be projecting their own internal uneasiness onto others. That's often where single-word answers like "nice" come in. They're making someone feel like they're not interested, when they're really just struggling to sit with silence.
Sometimes, saying nothing is better than saying something. Even if that means swapping one-word answers with reaffirming body language, it can help to protect a safe space in a conversation and reduce misunderstandings.
6. 'Well, it's good to see you'
Typically, conversations never actually end when we want them to, especially with strangers or when tolerating small talk with someone we're not genuinely interested in getting to know.
But sometimes, people use creating space and walking away from a conversation as a coping mechanism for social anxiety. They'd rather create any kind of excuse to leave than to sit in silence with someone and face their anxiety when they're left to their own thoughts.
7. 'Anyway'
The classic "anyway" is a way to change the subject when it's clear a conversation is ending or becoming awkward with a lull. Some people are secure enough to leave it there, but someone who needs to chatter to feel secure will use filler words like "anyway" constantly.
They don't want to be the person who leaves a conversation to settle into silence, so they try to prompt it where it's not always needed.
8. 'Anything fun planned for the weekend?'
People love to talk about themselves, which is exactly why active listening and intentional questions tend to boost people's likability. But in certain environments, silence is better than asking questions.
People just want to exist without having to come up with an answer or seem interested in small talk. If the person asking the question is doing so to fill the silence and protect their comfort, not really listening to whatever the person's response is, the conversation could actually use some space.
9. 'Did you see this?'
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Sometimes, the kinds of people who only feel interesting based on the information they carry about others can't help but break the silence by using questions like this. Maybe it's pop culture news and entertainment, or maybe it's real gossip they overheard about a co-worker.
Regardless of what they're bringing to the table, they're grasping at straws. They're trying to seem interesting and social, even if a conversation would be better off left alone.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
