negotiate

verb

ne·​go·​ti·​ate ni-ˈgō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce negotiate (audio)
nonstandard
-sē- How to pronounce negotiate (audio)
negotiated; negotiating

intransitive verb

: to confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter
Teachers are negotiating for higher salaries.

transitive verb

1
a
: to deal with (some matter or affair that requires ability for its successful handling) : manage
negotiated his business deals with remarkable skill
b
: to arrange for or bring about through conference, discussion, and compromise
negotiate a treaty
2
a
: to transfer (something, such as a bill of exchange) to another by delivery or endorsement (see endorse sense 1d)
b
: to convert into cash or the equivalent value
negotiate a check
3
a
: to successfully travel along or over
negotiate a turn
b
: complete, accomplish
negotiate the trip in two hours
negotiator
ni-ˈgō-shē-ˌā-tər How to pronounce negotiate (audio)
 nonstandard  -sē-
noun
negotiatory adjective

Did you know?

The Controversial History of Negotiate

Negotiate comes from Latin negōtiārī, meaning "to carry on business," and the word shares that meaning. In English, it can also mean "to successfully travel along or over."

Examples of negotiate in a Sentence

The customer wanted to negotiate over the price. She has good negotiating skills. We negotiated a fair price. The driver carefully negotiated the winding road.
Recent Examples on the Web The three then plan to negotiate separate agreements. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 Vesper, Shorr and Fran Denny, vp legal and business affairs at Fremantle’s Global Drama arm, negotiated the deal on behalf of Fremantle, with James Kay and Jessica Hudson for Sheridans acting on behalf of Astral Projection. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 The House Freedom Caucus, which contains dozens of the GOP's most conservative members, urged Republicans to vote against the first spending package and oppose the second one being negotiated. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024 At a time the city of Anaheim was negotiating a stadium deal with the Angels, Sidhu slipped relevant and confidential information to the team, in the hope the team would thank him with a million-dollar campaign contribution. Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The Afghanistan withdrawal was negotiated by Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo with the Taliban — Biden had to clean up their mess. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 The non-exclusive tag can help the Panthers control Burns’ free agency outlook this offseason, while still giving the pass rusher an opportunity to negotiate with other squads. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 Unionizing allows the players to negotiate a salary, along with working conditions like practice hours and travel. Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 When faced with the task of negotiating for the credit for having lost all his stuff, Shanley got even more invested in the proprietor. Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'negotiate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin negōtiātus, past participle of negōtiārī "to do business, trade, deal," derivative of negōtium "work, business, difficulty, annoyance," from nec "not" + ōtium "free time, leisure, tranquility," of obscure origin — more at neglect entry 1

Note: The sense "to confer in order to arrive at a settlement" is probably based on Middle French negocier or Italian negoziare, which had developed this sense, not belonging to the Latin source, by the mid-16th century.

First Known Use

circa 1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of negotiate was circa 1598

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Dictionary Entries Near negotiate

Cite this Entry

“Negotiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negotiate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

negotiate

verb
ne·​go·​ti·​ate ni-ˈgō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce negotiate (audio)
negotiated; negotiating
1
a
: to have a discussion with another so as to arrive at an agreement
b
: to arrange for or bring about by such discussion
negotiate a treaty
2
: to transfer to another in return for something of equal value
negotiate a check
3
: to get through, around, or over successfully
negotiate a turn
negotiation
-ˌgō-shē-ˈā-shən
-sē-
noun
negotiator noun

Legal Definition

negotiate

verb
ne·​go·​ti·​ate ni-ˈgō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce negotiate (audio)
negotiated; negotiating

intransitive verb

: to confer with another so as to settle some matter

transitive verb

1
: to bring about through conference, discussion, and agreement or compromise
negotiate a contract
2
a
: to transfer (as an instrument) to another by delivery or endorsement
b
: to convert into cash or the equivalent value
negotiate a check
negotiation noun
negotiator noun

More from Merriam-Webster on negotiate

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