# drive a hard bargain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/drive-a-hard-bargain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To negotiate forcefully.

## Examples

- She drives a hard bargain when she sells her old clothes.
- The seller drove a hard bargain, so I had to pay more than I originally planned.
- Although the company desperately needed the contract, the supplier drove a hard bargain and refused to lower the price.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.