Synonyms of deal

deal 1 of 3

noun (1)

as in ton

a considerable amount

there is a great deal of waste in government

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ton
• loads
• plenty
• slew
• dozen
• chunk
• bundle
• lot
• bunch
• quantity
• pile
• wealth
• raft
• stack
• abundance
• hundred
• all kinds (of)
• mess
• good deal
• volume
• myriad
• pack
• store
• quite a bit
• bucket
• mountain
• boatload
• barrel
• truckload
• pot
• yard
• heap
• shipload
• multiplicity
• sight
• carload
• much
• mass
• peck
• gobs
• plenitude
• fistful
• score
• bushel
• sheaf
• wad
• spate
• profusion
• reams
• basketful
• potful
• plateful
• plague
• surplus
• passel
• lashings
• thousands
• oodles
• flood
• scads
• rash
• bonanza
• plentitude
• epidemic
• excess
• embarrassment
• host
• overage
• multitude
• sea
• million
• overkill
• swarm
• redundancy
• plethora
• oversupply
• crush
• press
• overflow
• crowd
• army
• deluge
• overabundance
• surfeit
• drove
• superabundance
• bevy
• flock
• mob
• horde
• throng
• cram
• superfluity
• herd
• overmuch
• legion
• zillion
• gazillion
• trillion
• jillion
• kazillion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• taste
• spot
• touch
• strain
• pittance
• handful
• hint
• bit
• suspicion
• pinch
• mouthful
• ace
• streak
• grain
• scrap
• peanuts
• shade
• molecule
• shadow
• ray
• fragment
• glimmer
• ounce
• mite
• nip
• lick
• trace
• dram
• sprinkling
• atom
• whit
• particle
• speck
• dab
• scruple
• shred
• sprinkle
• dot
• modicum
• tad
• piece
• drop
• crumb
• granule
• section
• mote
• shot
• tittle
• portion
• jot
• little
• smattering
• iota
• dash
• scintilla
• morsel
• driblet
• shortage
• smidgen
• lack
• absence
• fleck
• flyspeck
• want
• scarcity
• deficit
• famine
• poverty
• deficiency
• paucity
• nubbin
• smatter
• dearth
• inadequacy
• insufficiency
• undersupply
• scantness
• scantiness
• scarceness
• meagerness
• skimpiness

deal

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

as in agreement

an arrangement about action to be taken

we made a deal to cooperate on the next assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• agreement
• pact
• convention
• contract
• understanding
• settlement
• bargain
• promise
• covenant
• compact
• treaty
• accord
• pledge
• disposition
• partnership
• charter
• association
• approval
• consent
• binder
• alliance
• acceptance
• league
• assent
• entente
• entente cordiale
• concurrence
• OK

2

as in sale

the transfer of ownership of something from one person to another for a price

we closed the deal for the house last week

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sale
• transaction
• purchase
• auction
• bargain
• trade
• negotiation
• buy
• steal
• clearance
• fair
• haggle
• silent auction
• closeout
• horse-trading
• garage sale
• rummage sale
• fire sale
• yard sale
• jumble sale
• tag sale

3

as in contract

a formal agreement to fulfill an obligation

if the other party backs out of the deal after it's signed, you can sue

Synonyms & Similar Words

• contract
• guarantee
• vow
• pledge
• assurance
• bond
• treaty
• warranty
• guaranty
• covenant
• pact
• bargain
• surety
• seal
• oath
• convention
• insurance
• deposit
• compact
• word
• security
• accord
• concordat
• bail
• troth
• pawn

4

as in situation

position with regard to conditions and circumstances

we don't yet know what the deal is with the new manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

• situation
• story
• status
• picture
• scene
• posture
• ball game
• footing
• state
• rank
• standing
• score
• spot
• place
• status quo

5

as in bargain

something bought or offered for sale at a desirable price

that mail-order sweater isn't such a great deal after you factor in the cost of shipping and handling

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bargain
• steal
• buy
• gift
• bonus
• clearance
• snip
• present
• pennyworth
• closeout
• premium
• windfall
• giveaway
• markdown
• boon
• freebie
• cheapie

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• overcharge
• gouging
• soaking
• markup
• surcharge
• rip-off
• luxury
• extravagance

deal

3 of 3

verb

ˈdēl 

1

as in to trade

to carry on the business of buying and selling goods or other property

that store deals in used furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

• trade
• negotiate
• sell
• traffic
• bargain
• smuggle
• purchase
• swap
• buy
• exchange
• merchandise
• transact
• barter
• resell
• retail
• auction
• supply
• market
• wholesale
• horse-trade
• invest
• take
• distribute
• fence
• peddle
• pick up
• speculate
• rebuy
• monopolize
• vend
• undersell
• corner
• engross
• fair-trade
• bootleg
• black-market
• day-trade

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• boycott
• black
• blackball

2

as in to negotiate

to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase

you're going to have to learn how to deal if you want to buy a car at a fair price

Synonyms & Similar Words

• negotiate
• bargain
• haggle
• argue
• horse-trade
• cut a deal
• wheel and deal
• clash
• dicker
• palter
• fight
• bicker
• chaffer
• buy
• trade
• exchange
• wrangle
• quarrel
• squabble
• purchase
• hassle
• quibble
• barter
• shop (around)
• hawk
• peddle
• comparison shop

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deal are dispense, distribute, divide, and dole out. While all these words mean "to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group," deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece.

deal out equipment and supplies

When could dispense be used to replace deal?

In some situations, the words dispense and deal are roughly equivalent. However, dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need.

dispensed wisdom to the students

When is distribute a more appropriate choice than deal?

Although the words distribute and deal have much in common, distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts.

distributed food to the needy

When can divide be used instead of deal?

The words divide and deal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal.

three charitable groups divided the proceeds

When is it sensible to use dole out instead of deal?

The synonyms dole out and deal are sometimes interchangeable, but dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply.

doled out what little food there was

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deal

Noun

Some experts suggest a deal akin to nuclear arms control, with verification and mutual constraint, would be the way forward. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 29 July 2026

The first Black female producer to land a deal at a major studio, Chase was the engine behind Cinderella (1997), producing the film alongside Neil Meron and the late Craig Zadan. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026

Verb

This is the franchise that dealt the Wave their worst loss of all, the 1-0 semifinals defeat in San Diego that denied Casey Stoney‘s club, which looked weirdly tentative for long stretches, a 2023 NWSL finals berth at Snapdragon Stadium. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026

Meanwhile, Jane Doe is doing some wheeling and dealing of her own. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 27 July 2026

Phrases Containing deal

• cut a deal
• deal (in)
• deal (out)
• deal (with)
• good deal
• raw deal
• wheel and deal