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

• accommodation
• compromise
• concession
• give-and-take

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 bill would also raise the SALT cap to $30,000 from the current $10,000 cap for anyone making under $400,000 a year, but Lawler and other New York Republicans are demanding the cap be raised even higher, seeking negotiations with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). —Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025

Plane negotiations: Trump in talks to accept luxury jet from Qatar's royal family The Qatari plane stretches 18 feet 4 inches longer than Air Force One, can carry more weight and fly slightly faster and farther. —Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 May 2025

The administration paused its original reciprocal tariff schedule on April 9 for a 90 day period, instituting instead a flat 10% tariff rate on more than 180 countries as the U.S. government opened negotiations with trading partners. —Colin Harper, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

There's a little window in there to do some negotiations. —Angela Andaloro, People.com, 14 May 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