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.
But the US leader expressed hope that renewed diplomacy could bring an end to the war that began in late February with a wave of US-Israeli strikes, rattling both the region and the global economy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Trump administration officials said that Gulf nations—including Oman, whose diplomats visited Tehran on Friday—are trying to revive diplomacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
“Military strikes have continued, and the stand-off over diplomacy remains unresolved,” Patrick Munnelly, market strategist at Tickmill Group, wrote in a note on Wednesday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Even in real time, when so much was not known, it was reported that Witkoff was mixing business and diplomacy.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
The leaders of the European Union recommend diplomacy.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
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.
