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
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negotiatedsimple
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had negotiatedperfect
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was negotiatingprogressive
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were negotiatingprogressive
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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:
"When you're diving, as long as the visibility is good, you can negotiate your way around a jellyfish relatively easily, if you know what way the current is flowing and you pay attention," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
I should know because I helped negotiate it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Here’s how to arm yourself with the tools you need to negotiate your starting pay like a pro.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
So far, it’s standing firm—while also leaving room to negotiate.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Through his parents’ various marital split-ups, he’d moved repeatedly from one remote and inhospitable town to another, learning to negotiate a series of stepparents along the way.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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
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
Michel negotiates a supply price with F2 and F3's chassis and engine partners, and says he demands the best offer.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
But one possibility would be matters concerning the television rights the league negotiates with media companies.
From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 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
Over the next six years, Greece negotiated three bailout loans with the so-called troika—the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund—in return for spending cuts and austerity measures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The agreement between the two London clubs has been negotiated at ownership level.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 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
If anyone could mobilize the unruly youth behind a negotiated solution, it was Chris.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
"We are not starting from zero -- the negotiating acquis will be utilised. That is extremely important," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 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
But they do suggest negotiating for other types of workplace perks that can make your overall compensation package more valuable, like bonuses, extra vacation days or the ability to work from home.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 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
I'm sitting in the Commander’s office, across from him at his desk, in the client position, as if I’m a bank customer negotiating a hefty loan.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
