as in negotiating
to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase
I horse-traded with the painter: I did his tax returns, and he did my kitchen
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in negotiation
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Recent Examples of horse trading
Tom Kertscher, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
There’s plenty of horse-trading still to do, but the fundamentals of their $20 trillion economy are set.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 30 July 2025
Verb
Both sides have priorities, and there is horse trading and eventually compromise, at least on some issues.
—Tom Kertscher, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
This horse-trading process lacks any moral code or transparency.
—Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
There’s plenty of horse-trading still to do, but the fundamentals of their $20 trillion economy are set.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 30 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse trading
Verb
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In its coverage of the case, the Herald raised questions about Menchel’s role in negotiating the deal.—
Julie K Brown,
Miami Herald,
18 Oct. 2025
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Now Mayor Mike Johnston and the City Council are negotiating over just how much city services should be cut.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On top of dealing a serious blow to USC’s CFP aspirations, Notre Dame’s win could potentially be the last one in this rivalry for a while.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Similar to Simmons for Tennessee, dealing Waddle would signal a look to the future rather than trying to win now.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sernatinger said the union hopes to begin bargaining in October, after settling a dispute with Pathfinders management over which positions were covered under OPEIU Local 39.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Contenders for the leadership of Brazil’s right wing coalition are already emerging and are bargaining for Bolsonaro’s endorsement for being presidential candidates in the 2026 elections.—
Adriana Carranca,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Posey did not draw out the process by haggling with Willy Adames or balk at a no-trade clause or give pause to breaking his own record for the largest contract in franchise history.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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In their place is the attention economy, a dystopian marketplace of slop merchants, brain-rot peddlers, AI scrapyards, and extortionate big-box streaming services with junk on the shelves, all haggling for your time and money.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Jennifer Aniston’s Alex Levy, Reese Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson, and the other members of The Morning Show’s newsroom and its network are once again bickering and backstabbing.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
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Coaches are also bickering about money, a topic that would have felt out of place 10 years ago.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horse trading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trading. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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