negotiation

noun

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

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.
President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will delay implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union until July 9 to buy time for negotiations with the bloc. Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025 Also, after the 2026 season, complicated negotiations for a new labor agreement could lead to a work stoppage. Charley Walters, Twin Cities, 25 May 2025 The bill, which overall includes about $4.9 trillion in tax breaks, was passed in the House after weeks of negotiations and talks with Republicans, some of whom were concerned about constituents losing critical benefits and others who called for further budget cuts. Jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 May 2025 President Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will delay implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union from June 1 until July 9 to buy time for negotiations with the bloc. Seung Min Kim, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Negotiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negotiation. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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