Meaning & use
pillow talking
Last updated
Meaning
phraseuncountableinformal
the activity of having intimate, private conversations in bed with a romantic partner
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; it does not take 'a' or a plural form.
Patterns
- pillow talking with someone
- do some pillow talking
They spent the whole night pillow talking about their future.
Pillow talking can be a way to share secrets you would not tell anyone else.
After a long day, they enjoyed some quiet pillow talking before sleep.
Common combinations
- do some pillow talking
- We did some pillow talking and finally resolved our argument.
- pillow talking about something
- They were pillow talking about their plans to move abroad.
- a bit of pillow talking
- A bit of pillow talking helped them feel closer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pillow talk
- This is the more common noun form; 'pillow talking' emphasizes the ongoing activity, while 'pillow talk' refers to the conversation itself.
- intimate conversation
- This is a more formal and general term; it does not specifically suggest that the people are in bed.
Word family
- pillow talk noun
- private conversation between lovers in bed
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pillow talking' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Pillow talking' is an uncountable noun phrase describing the activity; it is used with 'were' in the past continuous. Option B is wrong because it lacks a helping verb and the context is not romantic. Option C uses 'pillow talks' as a verb, which is not standard. Option D uses a plural verb with an uncountable noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pillow talking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.