bargain for

British  

verb

1. (intr, preposition) to expect; anticipate (a style of behaviour, change in fortune, etc)

   he got more than he bargained for

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bargain for Idioms  

1. Also, bargain over . Negotiate about something, usually a price. For example, In open-air markets it is standard practice to bargain for the best price . [Late 1300s]

2. Also, bargain on . Expect, be prepared for, as in In planning the picnic, we hadn't bargained for bad weather , or I hadn't bargained on John's coming along . [c. 1800] For a synonym, see count on .

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Example Sentences

That implies it would be a bargain for investors who put profits first, with a similar view emerging for Amazon, with its PEG ratio of 1.9, versus Walmart at 5.76 and Costco at 5.2.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Its cheap oil has historically been a better bargain for U.S. refineries than the light, sweet oil produced by U.S. frackers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

What he really did not bargain for was the Old Trafford side hurtling backwards at such an alarming rate.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2025

This time, rival clubs could drive a harder bargain for trades involving bonus pool money, especially if it’s seen as a determining factor in Sasaki’s final decision.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2025

Anybody who needs anything in Kinshasa—a kidney-stone operation or a postage stamp—has to bargain for it, shrewdly.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver