# bargain down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bargain-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to talk to a seller until they agree to lower the price of something.

For teachers: to negotiate with a vendor to reduce the asking price of a commodity or service; implies a successful outcome for the buyer.

## Examples

- I managed to bargain the seller down to fifty dollars.
- At the street market, you can often bargain the vendors down if you offer to pay in cash.
- The procurement team successfully bargained the supplier down by leveraging the high volume of the order and the promise of a long-term contract.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I bargained down the price to $10." but "I bargained him down to $10." — while you can bargain over a price, you typically bargain a person down to a lower amount.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a person as the direct object, followed by 'to' and the final price.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'haggle' (the process) and 'beat down' (more aggressive); 'bargain down' focuses on the result of the negotiation.

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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.