as in bargaining
Related Words
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as in negotiation
Related Words
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
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Recent Examples of horse trading
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
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
Noun
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
Verb
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Marandi served as an adviser to Iran’s negotiating team during the 2015 nuclear talks and still has close ties to the Iranian government.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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The sides having been negotiating since the summer of 2024, and the NFL had begun the hiring process for replacement officials last month.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
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In Scotland, Labor's difficulties were laid bare as John Swinney secured a decisive victory, dealing a further blow to Starmer’s authority.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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Around him, siblings, lovers and friends face CIA threats, tourist-rental anxieties, drug-dealing producers, secret desire and lottery dreams in a choral portrait of love, family and frustrated escape.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
11 May 2026
Verb
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According to the Minnesota Nurses Association, the 600 nurses have been bargaining with hospital leaders for more than a year.—
Aki Nace,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
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The union formed in April 2025, and has been bargaining on its first contract since September.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Verb
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These are not two sides haggling over price.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
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After weeks of haggling with authorities, Rex Pereira secured three emergency visas to leave the oil tanker where he had been stranded for over a month.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The two get to bickering about her terrible track record, with Dennis hilariously failing to realize that this accusation includes him among the questionable men.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
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For those of us interested in governing and not bickering, this is a good thing.—
Gail Slater,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horse trading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20trading. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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