negotiate

To negotiate is to go through the process of forming an agreement or making a deal. This word is often used in business and government.

• Most car dealers are willing to negotiate on the price of a vehicle. (They’ll talk about the price.)
• Do you normally pay the price shown on a price tag, or do you negotiate?
• The seller of the house says she won’t negotiate.
• The two sides in the civil war refused to negotiate.
• The government negotiated for the release of hostages.

The word "negotiation" is a noun:

• Workers and management went through a series of negotiations before settling on a contract.
• Negotiations over the release of the hostages lasted for several days.
• Brian says he’s not very good at negotiating. (The word "negotiating" is a gerund.)
• Skilled negotiators created the terms for the agreement. (A negotiator is a person who negotiates.)

The negotiators worked all night before coming to an agreement.

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March 15, 2014