negotiate
Americanverb (used without object)
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negotiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negotiated,
past participle, past
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negotiating
present participle
verb (used with object)
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negotiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negotiated,
past participle, past
-
negotiating
present participle
-
to arrange for or bring about by discussion and settlement of terms.
to negotiate a loan.
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to manage; transact; conduct.
He negotiated an important business deal.
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to move through, around, or over in a satisfactory manner.
to negotiate a difficult dance step without tripping: to negotiate sharp curves.
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to transfer (a draft, promissory note, etc.) to a new owner by endorsement and delivery or by delivery.
verb
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to work or talk (with others) to achieve (a transaction, an agreement, etc)
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(tr) to succeed in passing through, around, or over
to negotiate a mountain pass
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(tr) finance
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to transfer (a negotiable commercial paper) by endorsement to another in return for value received
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to sell (financial assets)
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to arrange for (a loan)
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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negotiatesimple
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negotiatessimple
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have negotiatedperfect
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has negotiatedperfect
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am negotiatingprogressive
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are negotiatingprogressive
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is negotiatingprogressive
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have been negotiatingperfect progressive
-
has been negotiatingperfect progressive
Past
-
negotiatedsimple
-
had negotiatedperfect
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was negotiatingprogressive
-
were negotiatingprogressive
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had been negotiatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of negotiate
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin negōtiātus “traded,” past participle of negōtiārī “to do business, trade,” verb derivative of negōtium “business,” from nec, neg- “not” ( cf. neglect ( def. )) + ōtium “leisure”
Explanation
To negotiate is to try to work out an agreement between parties that each want something out of the deal. You might negotiate with your mom — offering to do more chores for a raise in your allowance. Good luck. Negotiation is all about give and take. Governments are always negotiating with unions, trying to define the terms of new contracts. The government might offer the teachers union a raise, if they agree to work 200 days a year instead of 180. The verb negotiate can also mean to successfully pass through or travel along. You may have to negotiate a hazardous road, or a tricky path through sticker bushes.
Vocabulary lists containing negotiate
Chains
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Vocabulary from the First Presidential Debate: September 26, 2016
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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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:
Some savvy businesses used multiple AI agents to reach out to suppliers and negotiate contracts on behalf of humans.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
“In many areas, there are currently more sellers than buyers, creating opportunities to negotiate on price or seek concessions that could outweigh the monthly payment difference between a 6.5% and 7% mortgage.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
PBMs negotiate with drug makers and pharmacies on behalf of insurance plans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
Powell, who helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, said it was "very important to maintain contact with Putin and the Russians".
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
They settled with the warders and then, a day or two later, we learned the authorities had gone to the general section and asked for three representatives to negotiate changes.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Though it negotiates from a position of weakness, it frames survival itself as victory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
If that is the case, Iran may be attempting to establish a new regional reality: one in which it negotiates from a position of strength while actively enforcing its own red lines.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
Among his secrets: He pays a monthly membership fee for constant access to a primary-care doctor, scores cheap prescriptions by using discounts and manufacturers’ coupons, and negotiates with hospitals and doctors’ offices for deals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
In the far corner of the store, a father with his son negotiates a price for a button-up while the song “Te Boté” by Ozuna plays loudly from a hidden speaker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
While other children of their age learned other things, Estha and Rahel learned how history negotiates its terms and collects its dues from those who break its laws.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
My agent negotiated a deal that had me start in the majors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Pfizer’s claim dates back to 2021 when the European Union negotiated a landmark agreement to secure hundreds of millions of Covid-19 vaccines on behalf of its 27 member states.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
That deal, to be negotiated over the coming months, aims to codify cooperation in a range of areas, including defense, critical minerals and energy.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
The failure of Senate Bill 492 disappointed wildfire victims and lawmakers who had negotiated the language in a last-minute deal with Gov. Gavin Newsom.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
The alliance Massasoit negotiated with Plymouth was successful from the Wampanoag perspective, for it helped to hold off the Narragansett.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
More information like that can mean more negotiating leverage for retailers.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
But talks broke down in dramatic fashion, leaving both sides aggrieved and accusing the other of negotiating in bad faith.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The researchers are now negotiating with the construction company for permission to return to the site and continue excavating.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
Witkoff, a business ally of US President Donald Trump, traveled to Russia and Ukraine over the weekend alongside negotiating partner Jared Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
“We could have worked something out. You could have...I don’t know. You could have gone to the fence instead of me. You would have probably been good at that, negotiating, keeping it composed, cold. Distant.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
