negotiate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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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
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has been negotiatingperfect progressive
Past
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negotiatedsimple
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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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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:
I should know because I helped negotiate it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
So far, it’s standing firm—while also leaving room to negotiate.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Some major producers may be able to negotiate better prices with their suppliers and reach agreements with their buyers about sharing some of the cost increases.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Ofcom's One Touch Switch service, launched in 2024, means you only have to contact your new provider, not negotiate with the old one.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
If Virginia wanted to negotiate these calculations, well, it was the kind of thing that could always be worked out among friends.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
The actors union’s new agreement with the trade group that negotiates with Hollywood unions on behalf of the major studios will reportedly improve AI protections and boost the guild’s pension fund.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2026
For a flat fee of $1,000, he negotiates on a buyer’s behalf.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has identified similar issues as it negotiates a new contract for actors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026
The works council, an elected body of employees that negotiates pay deals and working hours with management, has long been an unshakeable component of German corporate life, especially in the auto sector.
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
He is behaving much as he does with his parents — he reasons, negotiates, and jokes with equal ease.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
The agreement between the two London clubs has been negotiated at ownership level.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
What happens after 2028 remains to be negotiated among the states.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
But top US diplomat Marco Rubio maintained Washington is still willing to find a negotiated agreement with Tehran.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The United Arab Emirates signed up for it, along with the gold standard of no domestic enrichment, as a condition of its 2009 nuclear deal negotiated largely with George W. Bush.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
They watched the shoreline close them in as Jerry negotiated the channel into St. Mikes.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
Going to the movies should not require hours of research to choose a theater, negotiating with a scalper or finding AI-aided plots to game the system.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Executives are negotiating these deals in a regularly changing environment with several unknowns, corporate advisers said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
They expected that their vastly superior, Western-supplied air force would soon be able to bomb the Houthis to the negotiating table and that the rebels would quickly sue for peace.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
But they do suggest negotiating for other types of workplace perks that can make your overall compensation package more valuable, like bonuses, extra vacation days or the ability to work from home.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
If Truman began negotiating with Japan now, it could be seen as a sign of weakness.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
