as in exchange
a giving or taking of one thing of value in return for another
in politics nobody does something for nothing: there's always a quid pro quo involved
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Recent Examples of quid pro quo
In some instances, the interaction may have a veneer of consent, or of quid pro quo.
—
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Despite Nahla's skepticism, recruiting the pirate to save the hostage kids is an entirely reasonable play, a Hannibal Lecter-esque, quid pro quo transaction from which both sides stand to gain.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
An alleged quid pro quo had been arranged between Russian and French officials, leading to the French judge’s scores being vacated.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
Despite Nahla's skepticism, recruiting the pirate to save the hostage kids is an entirely reasonable play, a Hannibal Lecter-esque, quid pro quo transaction from which both sides stand to gain.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Crime 101 takes the same view of quid pro quo as the most basic form of American commerce and makes simple but brutal points about value and self-worth, where your car, its year, make and model, matters more than your resumé.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2026
An alleged quid pro quo had been arranged between Russian and French officials, leading to the French judge’s scores being vacated.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quid pro quo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quid pro quo
exchange
Noun
-
October 23 – November 21 This morning favors calm, thoughtful exchanges.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
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According to documents from both cases, the relationship began with texting and the exchange of music from playlists.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quid pro quo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quid%20pro%20quo. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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