bargain
Americannoun
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an advantageous purchase, especially one acquired at less than the usual cost.
The sale offered bargains galore.
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an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction.
- Synonyms:
- transaction, arrangement, stipulation
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such an agreement as affecting one of the parties.
a losing bargain.
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something acquired by bargaining.
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Informal. an agreeable person, especially one who causes no trouble or difficulty (usually used in negative constructions).
His boss is no bargain.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to arrange by bargain; negotiate.
to bargain a new wage increase.
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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
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bargain on to expect or anticipate; count or rely on.
You can't bargain on what she'll do in this situation.
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bargain for to anticipate or take into account.
The job turned out to be more than he had bargained for.
idioms
-
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.
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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.
noun
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an agreement or contract establishing what each party will give, receive, or perform in a transaction between them
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something acquired or received in such an agreement
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something bought or offered at a low price
a bargain at an auction
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( as modifier )
a bargain price
-
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in excess of what has been stipulated; besides
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to agree on terms
verb
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(intr) to negotiate the terms of an agreement, transaction, etc
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(tr) to exchange, as in a bargain
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to arrive at (an agreement or settlement)
Related Words
Other Word Forms
- bargainable adjective
- bargainer noun
- bargaining noun
- outbargain verb (used with object)
- prebargain verb (used with object)
- probargaining adjective
- unbargained adjective
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; borrow
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.
Costco’s stock is still down around 5% over the past 12 months, following a run-up in previous years driven by inflation-fatigued consumers who have turned to the biggest retailers to find bargains.
From MarketWatch
Many follow convoluted routes via shadow tankers and are snapped up by countries like Turkey, India and China at bargain prices.
The Gavekal team, in a separate year-end briefing, also flags reflation risk—but sees it as an opportunity, particularly in cyclical stocks that have been left in the bargain bin.
From Barron's
A free transfer from Marseille in 2022, the France international has been one of Villa's best bargains, arguably one of the best in the top flight in recent years.
From BBC
The S&P 500 index’s 16% jump in 2025 has left many corners of the market looking pricey for a bargain hunter like Berkshire.
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.
