as in to negotiate
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 trade
Leo Schwartz, Fortune Crypto, 4 Oct. 2023
Congress, by contrast, can hold wide-ranging hearings, issue subpoenas, survey and even commission empirical research, weigh fiscal trade-offs, consider constituent popularity, balance different values and interests, horse trade, negotiate, and forge compromises.
—Ian MacDougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022
Justices horse trade and revise for months on major cases, though they’re not known for flipping sides.
—Dallas News, 3 May 2022
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, 6 Jan. 2023
Krikorian, from the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, argued DACA recipients could have gotten green cards by now, if Democrats had been willing to horse trade for tougher enforcement.
—Dallas News, 18 July 2022
In the early 1960s, the bistate agency took over what was then the struggling Hudson and Manhattan Railroad as part of a horse trade between New Jersey and New York that committed the Port to build the first World Trade Center.
—Paul Berger, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2018
And Paul George finally escaped Indiana, albeit to a dark-horse trade partner in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
—Peter Dawson and Pdawson@star-Telegram.com, star-telegram, 13 Dec. 2017
Verb
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
Congress, by contrast, can hold wide-ranging hearings, issue subpoenas, survey and even commission empirical research, weigh fiscal trade-offs, consider constituent popularity, balance different values and interests, horse trade, negotiate, and forge compromises.
—Ian MacDougall, Harper’s Magazine , 28 Sep. 2022
Justices horse trade and revise for months on major cases, though they’re not known for flipping sides.
—Dallas News, 3 May 2022
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, 6 Jan. 2023
Krikorian, from the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, argued DACA recipients could have gotten green cards by now, if Democrats had been willing to horse trade for tougher enforcement.
—Dallas News, 18 July 2022
In the early 1960s, the bistate agency took over what was then the struggling Hudson and Manhattan Railroad as part of a horse trade between New Jersey and New York that committed the Port to build the first World Trade Center.
—Paul Berger, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2018
And Paul George finally escaped Indiana, albeit to a dark-horse trade partner in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
—Peter Dawson and Pdawson@star-Telegram.com, star-telegram, 13 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse trade
Verb
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Deals like those could get done before the official start time because teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents once the NBA Finals are finished.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
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Years from now, there may not even be a need for agencies to negotiate and buy TV ad spots.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
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And if so, should more adjustments be made to the salary cap during the next CBA negotiations, to ensure these teams do not continue to separate themselves from the rest of the league?—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Scott and Jacob also touch on MLS teams’ $41 million Club World Cup haul, with a portion of that money headed to players, pending negotiation between the league and union.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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The Bulls have already tried to deal Vučević to the Warriors once in a trade deadline deal that was smothered, in part, by the Jimmy Butler move with the Miami Heat.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
30 June 2025
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Is Marchand officially moved on after being dealt last season?—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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The compromise brings to an end San Diego’s most tumultuous budget season in at least a decade — just eight days before the new fiscal year begins July 1.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 June 2025
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But hunting groups say that the compromise to not hunt within 40 yards of public trails ensures safety for hikers.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Right now, 450 of my co-workers and I in the Greater Boston area are bargaining for a new contract.—
Mike Ortiz,
Boston Herald,
28 June 2025
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Whereas sellers could hold fast on their asking prices a few years ago, many are now willing to bargain.—
LEW SICHELMAN,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2025
Noun
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According to a 2024 analysis by the law firm Morgan Lewis, less than half of a percent of second requests were subject to settlement under the Biden administration, a sizable decrease from 1.04% during the first Trump administration and 1.42% during the second Obama administration.—
Ross Marchand,
Baltimore Sun,
23 June 2025
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So my feeling is that there was never any real attempt on the part of the U.S. to follow up on that and actually try to negotiate some kind of diplomatic settlement here.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
Her studies led her to psychotherapy for healing, like EMDR, and a better understanding of how the nervous system operates.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
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Scientific objectives include gaining an understanding of the Reiner Gamma swirl mini-magnetosphere region and its magnetic and plasma properties. TBD, 2025: Blue Origin New Glenn carrying Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1), a single-launch, lunar cargo lander that remains on the surface.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Among other concessions, San Diego agreed to place at least 70% of all future affordable housing projects in moderate-, high- and highest-resource neighborhoods rather than in lower-income areas.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 June 2025
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The concession comes as some in the party call for a new generation of leadership to take the reins of the party.—
Averi Harper,
ABC News,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horse trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trade. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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