horse trading 1 of 3

noun (1)

as in bargaining

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horse-trading

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in negotiation

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horse-trading

3 of 3

verb

present participle of horse-trade
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of horse trading
Noun
Now an obvious fix passed by Congress last year is at risk of unraveling because of partisan horse trading. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 6 June 2026 As the day wears on, look for horse trading, threats and some old-fashioned political tricks as lawmakers try to push their bills across before the end of business Friday. — AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026 In discussing these choices, both of which will ding your credit record, try to do a little horse trading. — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 4 Dec. 2025 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
There was also an unseemly whiff of insider partisan horse-trading here—two Democrats for two Republicans—in a razor-close chamber. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026 This arrangement, the result of historical horse-trading for Haredi political backing, was unpopular in peacetime. — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026 The series of votes also came after top Democrats and the White House engaged in their latest horse-trading. — Al Weaver, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026 But turnout has been persistently low, months of horse-trading to form a government are likely to follow, and voters are weary of high levels of corruption. — Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2025 This horse-trading process lacks any moral code or transparency. — Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse trading
  1. bargaining
  2. negotiation
  3. negotiating
  4. horse trade
  5. auction
  6. dealing
  7. transaction
  8. haggling
Noun
  • Any time the aim is to reduce dangerous capabilities, interrupt military operations, shield partners, deny an adversary freedom of action, or generate bargaining leverage, aerospace forces will carry the principal military load.
    — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • When asked about Newsom’s three-day weekend comment, Roy said state employees work five days a week, but that the union would consider a three-day weekend if it were brought to the bargaining table.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of bargaining
Noun
  • And while the ongoing lease negotiation is under entirely different circumstances, the move from the General Assembly has colored some of the conversations now.
    — DJ Simmons July 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
  • Port of Oakland officials are expected to decide in the fall whether to enter negotiations with the franchise.
    — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
Definition of negotiation
Verb
  • Roughly 12 hours after LeBron announced his decision, longtime NBA reporter Chris Haynes broke the news that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies and intends to join the Sixers once that's complete.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • The operational targets for 2026 depend on executing the multi-stage plasma validation tests, establishing performance metrics, expanding patent protections, and negotiating initial power placement agreements with commercial partners.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of negotiating
Noun
  • The rising profile of McHenry and Emmer is likely bullish for crypto bills, as both work to convince Democrats on their committee—and their counterparts over in the Senate—to horse trade over stablecoin and market structure legislation.
    — Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 4 Oct. 2023
  • The blandishments McCarthy might have offered to horse trade his way to the speakership — fancy titles, perks, a fundraising appearance — meant little to those Republican holdouts who would like nothing more than to burn Washington to the ground.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2023
Definition of horse trade
Noun
  • The news of a would-be deal breakthrough arrives three months after the first round of bids were submitted in April to investment bank Moelis & Co, which handled the auction process.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
  • For the third auction in a row, the price of keeping the lights on across a 13-state swath of the country slammed straight into the ceiling.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 July 2026
Definition of auction
Verb
  • If the Red Sox, Astros and Padres decide against dealing their closers, Weaver might be as desired as any reliever on the market.
    — The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, Jane Doe is doing some wheeling and dealing of her own.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of dealing
Noun
  • The bill would also increase penalties for members who fail to properly disclose sales of stock, assessing fines of $2,000 or 10% of the value of the transaction, whichever is greater.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 22 July 2026
  • The strategy pulls shoppers in with events, classes, concerts and attractions rather than relying on transactions alone.
    — Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026
Definition of transaction
Verb
  • There was haggling over the penalties connected to the bonus pool for skipping a tournament.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026
  • So why does buying B2B software still feel like haggling at a bazaar?
    — Salim Gheewalla, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of haggling

Browse Nearby Words

horse-trade (with)
horse trading
horse-trading
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Cite this Entry

“Horse trading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trading. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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