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

France has proposed leading Israeli-Lebanese negotiations to that end. —Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026

The letter is the most detailed account to surface in weeks of internal negotiations between the White House and top Democrats in Congress. —Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026

Thousands of Los Angeles Unified teachers, staff and administrators rallied Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles as union leaders moved towards a strike, escalating pressure on the district after nearly a year of contract negotiations. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 19 Mar. 2026

But Saudi Arabia is signaling that any window for negotiations with Iran is closing with every missile and drone fired across the Arabian Gulf. —Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 19 Mar. 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

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