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

While aldermen plan to press forward with a final vote on the alternative budget on Saturday, the mayor suggested negotiations over the budget will continue. —Megan De Mar, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025

According to the term sheet, which outlines plans but isn't an official contract, union negotiations cannot legally begin until the joint fire department's formation because the new department would have to form its own union. —Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025

Maybank also noted that ASEAN countries’ negotiations with the White House resulted in tariff rates that were much lower than the ones Trump initially threatened, which were as high as 46% for Vietnam and 36% for Thailand. —Angelica Ang, Fortune, 19 Dec. 2025

Talking before the European negotiations concluded, Zelensky said that a funding deal would allay that threat. —Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025

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

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration