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
-
negotiatedsimple
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had negotiatedperfect
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was negotiatingprogressive
-
were negotiatingprogressive
-
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:
Kelmar suggested a few other steps you could take to dispute or negotiate a medical bill:
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
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
"We had a deal with them two days ago and then they said 'Oh we can't make that deal. We have to negotiate it further.'"
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
“You’ll be transferred to Rasseem, and you can negotiate your cost with him, above or below the six bolts you owe me.”
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
Now, as Marriott negotiates new agreements with credit-card companies, owners are demanding a better deal, according to the owners’ letter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
If that is the case, Iran may be attempting to establish a new regional reality: one in which it negotiates from a position of strength while actively enforcing its own red lines.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
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
Anthropic has vowed to challenge the supply chain risk designation in court, calling it a "dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government."
From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026
While other children of their age learned other things, Estha and Rahel learned how history negotiates its terms and collects its dues from those who break its laws.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
Kelmar also suggested making sure that the healthcare provider will zero out your balance after receiving a negotiated amount.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
He later worked under Liu He, then Xi’s top economic adviser who negotiated a trade deal with the first Trump administration in 2019.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
What happens after 2028 remains to be negotiated among the states.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
"We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way. But right now, they don't seem to be serious about that," Rubio said at a Southeast Asia ministers' meeting in Manila.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
A holding pen for Fred while he and Jenny Yen negotiated terms for the dog’s ransom.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
According to a Bloomberg report, negotiating teams from Iran and Oman are trying to reach a deal to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
A negotiating committee for the plaintiffs attorneys in the new settlement said they agreed to the deals after years of litigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 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
Zapata currently serves as assistant county executive for Marin County’s Community and Environmental Group, and the council is negotiating with the county to loan his services.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Ella thought about Jason negotiating back and forth with birds, and it made her chuckle to herself.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
