broker
Americannoun
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brokers
plural
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an agent who buys or sells for a principal on a commission basis without having title to the property.
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a person who functions as an intermediary between two or more parties in negotiating agreements, bargains, or the like.
verb (used with object)
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brokers,
present (3rd person singular)
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brokered,
past participle, past
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brokering
present participle
verb (used without object)
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brokers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
brokered,
past participle, past
-
brokering
present participle
noun
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an agent who, acting on behalf of a principal, buys or sells goods, securities, etc, in return for a commission
insurance broker
-
(formerly) short for stockbroker
-
a dealer in second-hand goods
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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brokersimple
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brokerssimple
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have brokeredperfect
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has brokeredperfect
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am brokeringprogressive
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are brokeringprogressive
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is brokeringprogressive
-
have been brokeringperfect progressive
-
has been brokeringperfect progressive
Past
-
brokeredsimple
-
had brokeredperfect
-
was brokeringprogressive
-
were brokeringprogressive
-
had been brokeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of broker
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English broco(u)r, from Anglo-French abrocour, broco(u)r “middleman, wine merchant”; compare Old Provençal abrocador, perhaps based on Spanish alboroque “gift or drink concluding a transaction” (from Arabic al-burūk “the gift, gratuity”), with -ador, from Latin -ātor -ator; alternatively, from Old French brocheor, brokeor “wine merchant,” derivative of broche ( see broach ( def. ))
Explanation
A broker is someone who buys or sells for someone else for a commission. You may go to a real estate company to get a broker to help you buy a house. In Middle English broker meant "peddler or retailer." Nowadays a broker still sells things — but she's acting as an agent making deals for someone else and collecting a commission for all that work. Used as a verb, broker means to arrange a deal or negotiate. Working for an advisory firm, a broker may convince you to invest in a company — so the broker would broker a business deal.
Vocabulary lists containing broker
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 27–March 5, 2021
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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.
See Examples For:
Yet “overall today’s release is largely a reiteration of information that we already knew,” says the broker.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2026
The recent sale or the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, was valued at $600 million by hotel industry analyst and broker Alan Reay, president of Atlas Hospitality, based on recent appraisals and comparable sales of other resorts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Luis Grande, head of the Baires Fly airline which carried Bolsonaro, told AFP on Thursday he had been hired by a broker "who lives in the United States."
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
About 74% of Americans say the U.S. is facing a housing crisis, according to a survey by Clever Real Estate, a broker.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
“Mr. Beiderman will have a real estate broker start showing the apartment to prospective renters beginning tomorrow. He strongly suggests that we not be in the apartment when it is shown.”
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
David Hollingworth, from brokers L&C Mortgages, says many people will be shocked at how much higher fixed-rate deals are than they were five years ago following recent increases.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
After charming L.A.’s major power brokers, she had hoped to win the primary outright and avoid a runoff so she could focus exclusively on the Meta trial in August.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Salespeople or brokers quote consumers a price, which seems astronomical as a lump sum, and present a rate of return.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Liu’s big bets were an object of fascination among oil traders and brokers, many of whom tried to mimic his moves and profit on his prescience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
It was hard all over again to escape the big-time stock market brokers and win acceptance from the people inside the subprime mortgage bond market.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Brands including Celsius and Alo have brokered partnerships with the group, offering everything from free products to event sponsorships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
Hundreds of residents of the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky were evacuated and driven to safety on Friday, following a humanitarian ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
It relied hugely on advertising that was brokered through third-party services such as Apple, and wanted to change that by broadening beyond social media to its own hardware and devices.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
Integer’s first project was one that Navatek had brokered with Graham.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
We survived the Holocaust because of the enormous risks Schindler took and the bribes and backroom deals he brokered to keep us, his Jewish workers, safe from the gas chambers of Auschwitz.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Both the Russian and Ukrainian sides repeatedly thanked Melania Trump for brokering the ceasefire, though neither elaborated on the nature or extent of her involvement.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Apparently, she’s been busy brokering a ceasefire between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the occupied city of Oleshky.
From Slate ● Oct. 26, 2026
The Times previously reported the prevalence of tee-time brokering, in which scores of local golfers shared frustrations over their inability to secure a tee time on public courses in L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
RXO is a large third-party logistics firm, or 3PL, brokering truck transportation, freight forwarding, and last-mile delivery for customers in an asset-light business model.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
“But I have access to Madoc. I have access to Balekin. I’m our best shot at brokering a deal.”
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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