talk the talk

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiominformal

   To say the right things and sound convincing about a subject, whether or not you actually act on them.

   Grammar: The verb changes form; the rest stays fixed: she talks the talk, he talked the talk.

   Patterns

   • talk the talk but not walk the walk
   • can talk the talk

   Plenty of candidates can talk the talk in interviews, but few have real experience.

   He talks the talk about saving energy and then leaves every light on.

   If you want to join the team, you have to talk the talk and walk the walk.

Word forms

Common combinations

talk the talk and walk the walk

The coach can talk the talk and walk the walk.

can really talk the talk

She can really talk the talk when she is pitching an idea.

only talks the talk

The manager only talks the talk about teamwork.

learn to talk the talk

New recruits learn to talk the talk within a week.

talk the talk in an interview

You can talk the talk in an interview, but the job needs proof.

Synonyms and how they differ

sound the part

Sound the part focuses on how convincing someone seems, without the suggestion that action is missing.

pay lip service

Paying lip service is more critical, saying you support something without any real intention to act.

make the right noises

Making the right noises is British and informal, and hints that the words are only for show.

talk big

Talking big means boasting, whereas talk the talk can be about speaking knowledgeably.

Opposites

Word family

talk verb

to speak

talk noun

a conversation or speech

talker noun

a person who talks, often a lot

talkative adjective

fond of talking

Commonly confused: talk the talk or walk the walk? talk the talk or talk the hind leg off a donkey?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “talk the talk”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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