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

Instead, Trump continues to press Zelensky into negotiations that look increasingly stacked against Ukraine. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026

Meyer was charged with bringing a new rigor to negotiations with the league, and the current deal reflects some success. —Evan Drellich, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026

In Wisconsin, the Medicaid expansion and breast cancer screening bills broke a logjam that comes amid a flurry of last-minute negotiations near the end of the two-year legislative session. —ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026

About 20 firefighters are actively considering leaving the department, Veit said — and that number continues to increase as contract negotiations drag on. —Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 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