negotiation

noun

ne·​go·​ti·​a·​tion ni-ˌgō-shē-ˈā-shən 

nonstandard

-sē- 

: the action or process of negotiating or being negotiated

—often used in plural

Negotiations between the two governments have failed to produce an agreement.

Synonyms of negotiation

• compromise
• consensus

Examples of negotiation in a Sentence

We need a negotiation between the townspeople and mayor over the site of the new library.

She is skilled at negotiation.

The college president was against any negotiation with the students.

Recent Examples on the Web

The City of Atlanta and Fulton County’s Board of Commissioners have been trading negotiations over the sale of the Atlanta City Detention Center, and things have started to get ugly. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Villa endeavour to move others on, including Leon Bailey, 29, who remains in a prolonged period of negotiation with his current club and Hull City, who have long agreed a fee for the winger. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

The Kiel talks now open a more intensive phase as the partners prepare for contract negotiations and determine how the third nation will be integrated into the 212CD program. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026

Pérez worked with the organization to introduce SB 1103, a bill that has since undergone months of negotiation in the Capitol. — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English negociacion "dealing with people," borrowed from Latin negōtiātiōn-, negōtiātiō "business, trade," from negōtiārī "to do business, trade, deal" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at negotiate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing negotiation

• in negotiation
• open to negotiation
• under negotiation

Rhymes for negotiation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation