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
Relevance
as in negotiation
Related 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 trade
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, 6 Jan. 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
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
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
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
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
-
The White House has not yet negotiated lower prices on IVF drugs from other manufacturers.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The only long-term solution — in my view — is a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank whose borders are negotiated with Israel.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Trump had previously imposed 145% tariffs on China, then put them on hold to allow negotiations to play out.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This story was updated to provide clarity about the plans impacted by these negotiations.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This comes after Hamas and Israel have exchanged surviving hostages and prisoners in the first phase of a ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The theft dealt a significant operational and financial blow and the company shuttered operations in mid-2025.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Kings’ deal with Murray is a fair compromise between a new front office that didn’t draft Murray and a still-rising wing who just turned 25.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
With a council majority then in Duggan's corner, the proposals would yield mixed results, ending in a blend of wins, losses and political compromise.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The players argued the league refused to credibly bargain a new CBA by demanding terms that would mean less money shared with players.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
With Newsom’s signature now on AB 1340, drivers can collectively bargain and unionize, including negotiating contracts, which would set industry-wide standards, according to proponents like bill sponsors Assemblymembers Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Those lawsuits continued for decades, resolved in part with $12 million settlements both for prisoners and for the families of Attica prison-employees and hostages.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
-
But sediment erosion has increased tenfold since before European settlement of the area.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Snake wrangling requires patience, steady movements, and a deep understanding of reptile behavior.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The award recognizes filmmakers whose work has illuminated history, inspired public discourse, and deepened cultural understanding — a legacy Burns has embodied throughout his decades-long career.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Relying solely on Amazon’s admittedly massive reach would be both a lifeline and a painful concession.—
Mara Weinraub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Now, this was very far from ending occupation or achieving Palestinian liberty, but those were concessions that Israel made as a result of Palestinian resistance.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Horse trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trade. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share