diplomacy
Americannoun
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the conduct by government officials of negotiations and other relations between nations.
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the art or science of conducting such negotiations.
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skill in managing negotiations, handling people, etc., so that there is little or no ill will; tact.
Seating one's dinner guests often calls for considerable diplomacy.
noun
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the conduct of the relations of one state with another by peaceful means
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skill in the management of international relations
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tact, skill, or cunning in dealing with people
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of diplomacy
First recorded in 1790–1800; from French diplomatie, from diplomat(e) diplomat + -ie -y 3
Explanation
Diplomacy is the art of helping groups to get along and even work together. If you have a gift for diplomacy, you can get bickering siblings to cooperate. The word diplomacy comes from the French word diplomatie, which means “diplomat.” A diplomat lives in a foreign country, fluent in its language — and culture. The job of a diplomat is to practice diplomacy among nations, understanding the concerns and needs of all and, if possible, guiding them toward decisions that are mutually agreeable.
Vocabulary lists containing diplomacy
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Power Suffix: -acy
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Government
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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.
Rubio knows that India will always be reluctant to play any role beyond diplomacy in keeping the Strait open.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
Plus, Trump postpones AI order, and ‘The Sound of Music’ is the secret to U.S.-China diplomacy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
This is where smart diplomacy, backed by a credible, proportionate threat of force, sometimes comes in handy.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
“It has become a game of chicken between physical tightening and confidence that diplomacy or reopening headlines arrive before inventories become critically stressed.”
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
And because his everyday speech didn’t have any diplomacy, he defended his case the way he always did.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
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.
