bargain

American  

[bahr-guhn] / ˈbɑr gən /

noun

• bargains
  plural

1. an advantageous purchase, especially one acquired at less than the usual cost.

   The sale offered bargains galore.

2. an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction.

   Synonyms:

   transaction, arrangement, stipulation

3. such an agreement as affecting one of the parties.

   a losing bargain.

4. something acquired by bargaining.

5. Informal. an agreeable person, especially one who causes no trouble or difficulty (usually used in negative constructions).

   His boss is no bargain.

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verb (used without object)

• bargains,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bargained,
  past participle,  past
• bargaining
  present participle

1. to discuss the terms of a bargain; haggle; negotiate.

2. to come to an agreement; make a bargain.

   We bargained on a three-year term.

   Synonyms:

   covenant, contract

verb (used with object)

• bargains,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bargained,
  past participle,  past
• bargaining
  present participle

1. to arrange by bargain; negotiate.

   to bargain a new wage increase.

2. 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

1. bargain on to expect or anticipate; count or rely on.

   You can't bargain on what she'll do in this situation.

2. bargain for to anticipate or take into account.

   The job turned out to be more than he had bargained for.

idioms

1. 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.

2. 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.

bargain British  

/ ˈbɑːɡɪn /

noun

1. an agreement or contract establishing what each party will give, receive, or perform in a transaction between them

2. something acquired or received in such an agreement

3. 1. something bought or offered at a low price

      a bargain at an auction

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bargain price

4. in excess of what has been stipulated; besides

5. to agree on terms

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verb

1. (intr) to negotiate the terms of an agreement, transaction, etc

2. (tr) to exchange, as in a bargain

3. to arrive at (an agreement or settlement)

bargain More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing bargain

• drive a bargain
• into the bargain
• make the best of it (a bad bargain)
• more than one bargained for
• strike a bargain

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Synonym Usage

See agreement. See trade.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bargainer
  noun
• bargaining
  noun
• outbargain
  verb (used with object)
• prebargain
  verb (used with object)
• bargainable
  adjective
• probargaining
  adjective
• unbargained
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bargains
  plural

Participles

• bargaining
  present
• bargained
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• bargain
  simple
• bargains
  simple
• have bargained
  perfect
• has bargained
  perfect
• am bargaining
  progressive
• are bargaining
  progressive
• is bargaining
  progressive
• have been bargaining
  perfect progressive
• has been bargaining
  perfect progressive

Past

• bargained
  simple
• had bargained
  perfect
• was bargaining
  progressive
• were bargaining
  progressive
• had been bargaining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bargain
  simple
• will have bargained
  perfect
• will be bargaining
  progressive
• will have been bargaining
  perfect progressive

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; cf. borrow

Explanation

The table you bought at a yard sale for five dollars might seem like a bargain until you get it home and realize it only has three legs. A bargain is a good deal. Inexpensive items are one type of bargain, and another kind of bargain is an agreement you make with someone — a deal or compromise. Two countries might strike a trade bargain, or you could make a bargain with your friend that you'll drive to the mall if she buys you a giant cinnamon roll. Bargain also means to negotiate the details of a purchase, which makes sense because the root word is bargaignier, French for "haggle over the price."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bargain bargains bargained bargaining

The asking price—$39 per square foot, per year—looked like a bargain when compared cursorily to other available office space in the neighborhood listed online.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

For those who gambled on him early, Kane proved a bargain.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

California prison towns made a grim bargain decades ago.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

A lower premium isn’t the bargain it appears to be if the policy’s cancellation leaves you with this kind of uncertainty and, worse, a gap in your coverage.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 12, 2026

She extended her hand to seal the bargain.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Investors aren’t being offered quite the same bargains as in 2008, but it’s time to start kicking the tires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

"You find bargains, you buy the bargains, you end up with loads of bargains and you're a hoarder," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Many capital cases were negotiated as “plea bargains to life without parole on the express promise that this will provide the finality that the victims need most,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

September and October are the best months for finding bargains.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

But even bargains had to be paid for.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Hershey argued that the plaintiffs “got what they bargained for — delicious candy.”

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Slate’s Alexander Sammon paid the lab a visit and learned more than he bargained for.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

It is something to be bargained for, prayed over—and repaid in promises that may or may not be kept.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

The pursuit of revenge takes a spiritual tax on a person that can sometimes cost more than they’ve bargained for, and we see the unraveling effects of that in “The Exes.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026

What has Haymitch possibly said to them, what has he bargained with to make them put Peeta’s life above their own?

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Uber and Lyft have said they are committed to working with the newly formed union and bargaining in good faith.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Maintaining the ability to threaten the strait—and the American military forces needed to protect it—remains central both to Iran’s military strategy and to its bargaining position in any future talks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

He also said the union is not trying to use the Games as a bargaining chip in labor talks and said the two sides could reach an Olympics agreement independently of a collective bargaining agreement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

Workers at “World of Warcraft” video game developer Blizzard Entertainment have ratified union contracts after two years of bargaining.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

The challenge, as he saw it, was to somehow convince North Vietnam to make concessions at the bargaining table.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• arrangement
• contract
• deal
• negotiation
• pact
• transaction
• understanding