1
as in discussion
an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue
a give-and-take about what we should do Saturday night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in negotiation
the act or practice of each side giving up something in order to reach an agreement
negotiating the terms of the deal will require some give-and-take on both sides
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in banter
good-natured teasing or exchanging of clever remarks
enjoyed the flirty give-and-take between the two romantic lead characters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of give-and-take
It was intended as a joke, but Oliver appreciated the give-and-take, and his show gave tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations to Danbury to make the designation a reality.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2025
Scientific theories about the origin of the universe often involve a vigorous give-and-take between speculation and discovery.
—Sean M. Carroll, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
The normal give-and-take of a staff meeting was not his strong suit.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Indeed, instructors often understand the Socratic principle – that there needs to be an active give-and-take and back-and-forth between a teacher and a student, or between two other partners, that feeds a certain kind of productivity.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for give-and-take
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2025
Scientific theories about the origin of the universe often involve a vigorous give-and-take between speculation and discovery.
—Sean M. Carroll, The New York Review of Books, 31 July 2025
The normal give-and-take of a staff meeting was not his strong suit.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Indeed, instructors often understand the Socratic principle – that there needs to be an active give-and-take and back-and-forth between a teacher and a student, or between two other partners, that feeds a certain kind of productivity.
—John Werner, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for give-and-take
Recent Examples of Synonyms for give-and-take
Noun
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While what kind of crust a Key Lime pie should have is often up for discussion, there’s no debate as heated as what should top the tangy pie.—
Amber Love Bond,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Near the end of the day, Haag gathered her students for their usual wrap-up discussion.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ascension Wisconsin patients insured by UnitedHealthcare are scrambling to find new doctors or rearrange their health care plans, after contract negotiations between the health system and insurer failed.—
Sarah Volpenhein,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The offer letters for Elevate’s managers of the state Growth Fund also say that the managers can earn interest off the Growth fund as part of their compensation, the audit states, but this potential financial gain was not disclosed to the IEDC during the negotiations over the Growth Fund.—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But rather than light-hearted banter, the messages took a cruel turn.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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By contrast, Accra, the nation’s capital, with its Parliamentary Building and Black Star Square, is enlivened by streams of mellow banter and commerce.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That leaves places such as Apache County in limbo in a debate centered over keeping government fully operational at existing funding levels and revising health insurance coverage for poor and working-class Americans.—
Ronald J. Hansen,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Long history of policy changes Police chases in Milwaukee have been a frequent topic of debate in the city, and the policy dictating them is intertwined with the city's reckless driving issues.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Republicans and Democrats have so far shown no signs of compromise, making a lengthy shutdown increasingly possible this year.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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In fact, the FBI recently issued a Flash alert that surfaced numerous indicators of compromise linked to these Salesforce environment attacks and warned organizations to harden defenses.—
,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The action flows, the badinage is fast and fun.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
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Each bus has a pair of hosts, whose badinage is corny but crowd-pleasing.—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
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Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, has also proposed a ban for users under 15 years of age and his government launched a public consultation for a new law in June.—
Jack Guy,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
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Start with this list, then let detailed consultations and your comfort with the team guide the final call.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to The New York Times, Chappelle — who has been under fired for his transphobic jokes in the past — used his comedy set at the Riyadh Comedy Festival to speak about the lack of freedom of speech in the United States, especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s killing.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
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People taking offense at jokes simply didn’t land as a news story anymore.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Give-and-take.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/give-and-take. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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