Thesaurus results for HORSE-TRADING

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

Noun

The district provided some information but left out several details CSEA had requested, and no meaningful bargaining occurred over the layoffs’ effects, according to the union’s complaint.

— Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 30 Sep. 2026
By addressing many of the issues that could otherwise be subjects of collective bargaining, the legislation would significantly narrow what athletes and their potential unions could seek at the bargaining table.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of bargaining

Verb

Over seven episodes, the candidates take on the actual work of a broker, negotiating multimillion-euro deals and handling discerning clients.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2026
To insulate its power consumers, TVA is negotiating cost-sharing agreements with commercial partners.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 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 features Pee-wee’s iconic gray suit and other costumes, red Schwinn bicycles, dolls, puppets, claymation figures, scripts and more.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
The current online auction includes a selection of fresh-to-market timepieces.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of auction

Verb

But when a traumatic encounter sends Tonya spiraling back into addiction—and back into the dangerous orbit of her drug-dealing ex-husband, Ronny (Alexander)—her fragile progress begins to unravel.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
The latest homeless count showed an increase in the number of people living on the street, dealing a setback to a mayor who staked her reputation on the issue.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of dealing

Noun

If Kagan let the appeal proceed, the Supreme Court would have had to block the $111 billion transaction while considering the petition.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
Further information on the international leadership team is not yet available, as the transaction is set to close on Tuesday and operational fallout will continue well into the months ahead.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 6 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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Style

“Horse trading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trading. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of horse trading

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

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