bargain

American  

[bahr-guhn] / ˈbɑr gən /

noun

• bargains
  plural

1. an advantageous purchase, especially one acquired at less than the usual cost.

   The sale offered bargains galore.

2. an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction.

   Synonyms:

   transaction, arrangement, stipulation

3. such an agreement as affecting one of the parties.

   a losing bargain.

4. something acquired by bargaining.

5. Informal. an agreeable person, especially one who causes no trouble or difficulty (usually used in negative constructions).

   His boss is no bargain.

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verb (used without object)

• bargains,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bargained,
  past participle,  past
• bargaining
  present participle

1. to discuss the terms of a bargain; haggle; negotiate.

2. to come to an agreement; make a bargain.

   We bargained on a three-year term.

   Synonyms:

   covenant, contract

verb (used with object)

• bargains,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bargained,
  past participle,  past
• bargaining
  present participle

1. to arrange by bargain; negotiate.

   to bargain a new wage increase.

2. to anticipate as likely to occur; expect (usually followed by a clause).

   I'll bargain that he's going to give those company directors plenty of trouble.

verb phrase

1. bargain on to expect or anticipate; count or rely on.

   You can't bargain on what she'll do in this situation.

2. bargain for to anticipate or take into account.

   The job turned out to be more than he had bargained for.

idioms

1. strike a bargain, to make a bargain; agree to terms.

   They were unable to strike a bargain because the owner's asking price was more than the prospective buyer could afford.

2. in / into the bargain, over and above what has been stipulated; moreover; besides.

   The new housekeeper proved to be a fine cook in the bargain.

bargain British  

/ ˈbɑːɡɪn /

noun

1. an agreement or contract establishing what each party will give, receive, or perform in a transaction between them

2. something acquired or received in such an agreement

3. 1. something bought or offered at a low price

      a bargain at an auction

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bargain price

4. in excess of what has been stipulated; besides

5. to agree on terms

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verb

1. (intr) to negotiate the terms of an agreement, transaction, etc

2. (tr) to exchange, as in a bargain

3. to arrive at (an agreement or settlement)

bargain More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing bargain

• drive a bargain
• into the bargain
• make the best of it (a bad bargain)
• more than one bargained for
• strike a bargain

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Synonym Usage

See agreement. See trade.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bargainer
  noun
• bargaining
  noun
• outbargain
  verb (used with object)
• prebargain
  verb (used with object)
• bargainable
  adjective
• probargaining
  adjective
• unbargained
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bargains
  plural

Participles

• bargaining
  present
• bargained
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• bargain
  simple
• bargains
  simple
• have bargained
  perfect
• has bargained
  perfect
• am bargaining
  progressive
• are bargaining
  progressive
• is bargaining
  progressive
• have been bargaining
  perfect progressive
• has been bargaining
  perfect progressive

Past

• bargained
  simple
• had bargained
  perfect
• was bargaining
  progressive
• were bargaining
  progressive
• had been bargaining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bargain
  simple
• will have bargained
  perfect
• will be bargaining
  progressive
• will have been bargaining
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of bargain

First recorded in 1300–50; (for the verb) Middle English bargaynen, from Anglo-French, Old French bargai(g)ner, probably from Frankish borganjan (unrecorded); cognate with Old High German bor(a)gēn “to look after” ( German borgen “to lend”); (for the noun) Middle English bargayn, from Anglo-French, Old French bargai(g)ne, bargain, derivative of the verb; cf. borrow

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Explanation

The table you bought at a yard sale for five dollars might seem like a bargain until you get it home and realize it only has three legs. A bargain is a good deal. Inexpensive items are one type of bargain, and another kind of bargain is an agreement you make with someone — a deal or compromise. Two countries might strike a trade bargain, or you could make a bargain with your friend that you'll drive to the mall if she buys you a giant cinnamon roll. Bargain also means to negotiate the details of a purchase, which makes sense because the root word is bargaignier, French for "haggle over the price."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bargain bargains bargained bargaining

Whether it makes them a bargain is another matter altogether.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

Critically, unlike bribery as traditionally defined in the criminal law, the prohibition on emoluments is not conditional on any corrupt bargain by the public official.

From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026

Democracy rests on a simple bargain: The loser accepts the result because both sides trust the count.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026

Under the proposed measure, contract negotiations would begin as they do now, with the presumption that both sides bargain in good faith.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

“Because otherwise the price would go up. It’s fun to bargain, although I’m not good at it. The market is so crowded. I drank pomegranate juice that someone squeezed right in front of us.”

From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan

For house hunters who are not superstitious or squeamish it means there are big bargains to be found.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

But it's a chance to hunt for bargains.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

Rising interest rates have intensified pressure on the heavily indebted companies, pushing prices of their debt down and creating bargains for distressed investors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Below, MarketWatch has prepared a couple of screens that might help investors identify potential bargains.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

There are currently about 245,000 Indians answering phones from all over the world or dialing out to solicit people for credit cards or cell phone bargains or overdue bills.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

Hershey argued that the plaintiffs “got what they bargained for — delicious candy.”

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Slate’s Alexander Sammon paid the lab a visit and learned more than he bargained for.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

Healing requires empathy, but it also requires clarity about what cannot be bargained away.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

The pursuit of revenge takes a spiritual tax on a person that can sometimes cost more than they’ve bargained for, and we see the unraveling effects of that in “The Exes.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026

“So then he drove up beside me, and we bargained a little, like I said, and then I gave him the money, and he gave me the tickets.”

From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar

The disparity in bargaining power had galled Nelson, who used Android phones in protest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

It would not apply to bargaining units whose workers can strike.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

What he did not know was that he was being targeted as a bargaining chip.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

I haven’t thought of the house as a bargaining chip, just as the biggest thing I own.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

Pastor Ambrose had come out of his room and was bargaining with the lizard hawker.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Related Words

• arrangement
• contract
• deal
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