seal the deal
Americanidiom
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to complete or successfully negotiate an agreement.
If our top executive can't seal the deal, no one can.
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to secure or ensure a successful conclusion: A last-minute goal sealed the deal for Baltimore.
He had aced both interviews, and if the director liked him that would seal the deal.
A last-minute goal sealed the deal for Baltimore.
Etymology
Origin of seal the deal
First recorded in 1950–55
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.
That’s enough to keep the Fed on high alert, economists say, but not enough to seal the deal for a rate hike.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
One Knicks fan, DJ Coffui, who moved to the city for an internship just two weeks ago from New Jersey said: "The buzz is unbelievable - just need to seal the deal tonight."
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Nvidia ended up paying $20 billion to seal the deal, more than it had ever spent on any single acquisition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Inter didn't roll over, with Federico Dimarco and substitute Pio Esposito both going close with angled drives, but Gyokeres struck on the break to seal the deal and allow fans to look ahead to United.
From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026
No nose-kiss to seal the deal, but I knew it was decided.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
