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

YouTube pulled Disney’s content from its pay TV platform after an October 31 midnight deadline saw negotiations at an impasse. —Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025

The study spatializes the socio-cultural haunting of Indigenous and colonial histories and demonstrates how public spaces can be sites of democratic contestation and negotiation. —JSTOR Daily, 14 Nov. 2025

The court of public opinion is notoriously a tricky place to find real justice, so why not handle this the same way Demi handled her contract negotiations (in private)? —Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025

Dell’s role as general manager will include the salary cap, contract negotiations and player transfers. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 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