negotiate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
negotiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negotiated,
past participle, past
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negotiating
present participle
verb (used with object)
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negotiates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negotiated,
past participle, past
-
negotiating
present participle
-
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
-
negotiatesimple
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negotiatessimple
-
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
-
has been negotiatingperfect progressive
Past
-
negotiatedsimple
-
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:
The company is vigorously defending against the litigation, it said, while saying it remains willing to negotiate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
Nov. 2: The first five days after the conclusion of the World Series are a “quiet period,” when teams have exclusive rights to negotiate with their free agents, before free agency opens in earnest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Huerta also helped end what was known as the Bracero Program, where Mexican men were brought to work temporarily into the US, and helped negotiate the 1986 Immigration Reform Act, according to the union.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Airbnb has been asking travelers and hosts to negotiate that question for years.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
“I think I can get in touch with Marcus over the radio to negotiate a peace agreement,” Evelyn says.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
The report lands as OpenAI negotiates a fresh private fundraising that could value it at roughly $1.4 trillion, according to the FT.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Though it negotiates from a position of weakness, it frames survival itself as victory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
She tours major international defence shows, negotiates with arms manufacturers and takes part in discussions on Europe's rearmament.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
The European Commission - the bloc's executive arm that negotiates trade deals on behalf of EU member states, has also drawn criticism.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 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
Federal agents negotiated treaties in the 1850s with more than 130 Indigenous communities in the new state of California, setting aside roughly 7% of the state for reservations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
If none of the above scenarios can be negotiated, the default outcome would be new elections.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Separately, as part of the company’s new Founder Alignment agreement, the board negotiated with Zuckerberg to remain a resident of California for the next eight years, barring “material unforeseen circumstances.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
Each use of a previously released piece of music is negotiated separately, and it can get pricey.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
When she was done, her uncle remained silent for a long time, as Jiis horse negotiated the steep, rocky trail.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
On top of that, the next mayor will also play a central role negotiating new contracts with the city’s employee unions, which will determine how much money is left for basic services.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
The world's nations have been gathered in Yerevan for nearly two weeks negotiating, and arguing, over a new agreement on nature.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
He became known as the Blevinator for clever negotiating tactics—or ruthless ones, said suppliers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Both are seasoned veterans of political confrontations, capable of negotiating but reluctant to make concessions.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
In the evenings, visitors—company people negotiating deals, government people negotiating bribes, factory people negotiating jobs—dropped by, parking their cars near the entrance to the orchard.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
