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
The Security Council’s choice this time will certainly reflect the usual backroom horse-trading among the body’s three major veto-wielding nations – Russia, China, and the United States. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026 There’s likely to be some horse-trading to get those votes over the next two weeks. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026 But legal experts said the agreement reflects what was likely weeks, if not months, of careful backroom horse-trading. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 Those bills are often the result of last-minute negotiations among lawmakers and horse-trading for budget votes. — Ray Stern, AZCentral.com, 11 June 2026 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 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
  • During the two-month negotiation pause, SEIU and the state discussed returning to the bargaining table in sidebar conversations.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The department remains focused on achieving a fair and responsible agreement and continues to be available at the bargaining table.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of bargaining
Noun
  • The Sun enters your 7th House, beginning a month that puts partnerships, collaborations, negotiations, and important one-on-one relationships in greater focus.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Lula has rejected the allegations while continuing negotiations with Washington, and has increasingly made the defense of Brazilian sovereignty a central point of his campaign.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of negotiation
Verb
  • Technical knowledge can be taught and examined but the skills Freebairn values most, such as influencing, persuading, and negotiating, cannot.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The administration may be negotiating even more stakes under the radar, since SEC filings for unrelated deals mention the possibility of warrants.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 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 auction was a strong start to Sotheby’s Paris sales, which continue Friday with auctions devoted to modern art and Surrealism.
    — Daniel Cassady for ARTnews, Robb Report, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Wallace gets her pumpkins—including black pumpkins and ones with faces made by growing the pumpkins in molds—from an auction in Pennsylvania.
    — Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of auction
Verb
  • Just when Kansas City appeared to be building momentum toward a Sunday night comeback, kicker Harrison Butker missed his second attempt of the night, dealing another blow to the Chiefs’ hopes.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Others were dealing divorce, custody issues or other difficult life events.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of dealing
Noun
  • In Singapore, where retail payments are already highly efficient, stablecoins may have fewer applications in consumer transactions, while corporate payments could offer greater opportunities, Driver said.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The median transaction took approximately 13 months from announcement to launch.
    — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of transaction
Verb
  • The Trasks encounter a wide swath of citizens, haggling with sneaky cheats, exploiting innocent fools, and befriending big-hearted neighbors.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
  • All that hoopla results in a heavy lift for news networks and involves haggling over the real estate for anchor booths and transmission facilities.
    — Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 3 Sep. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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