negotiation

noun

ne·​go·​ti·​a·​tion ni-ˌgō-shē-ˈā-shən How to pronounce negotiation (audio)
nonstandard
-sē- How to pronounce negotiation (audio)
Synonyms of negotiationnext
: the action or process of negotiating or being negotiated
—often used in plural
Negotiations between the two governments have failed to produce an agreement.

Synonyms of negotiation

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Examples of negotiation in a Sentence

We need a negotiation between the townspeople and mayor over the site of the new library. She is skilled at negotiation. The college president was against any negotiation with the students.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had again poured cold water on the notion of direct negotiations with the United States. — Mike Sheen, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026 In the same interview, Rezaei said Iran is focused only on negotiations with Oman about the Strait of Hormuz, not with the United States. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 Because Anthropic lacked a reliable way to verify users’ nationalities in real time, the company disabled both models worldwide within hours before gradually restoring access after negotiations with the administration. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026 The two countries launched CEPA negotiations in November 2024 and reached the deal after five rounds of formal talks. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for negotiation

Word History

Etymology

Middle English negociacion "dealing with people," borrowed from Latin negōtiātiōn-, negōtiātiō "business, trade," from negōtiārī "to do business, trade, deal" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at negotiate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of negotiation was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing negotiation

Rhymes for negotiation

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Browse Nearby Words

negotiate
negotiation
negotiator
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Cite this Entry

“Negotiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negotiation. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on negotiation

Nglish: Translation of negotiation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about negotiation

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