# dealing

/ˈdiɫɪŋ/ (US) · /dˈiːlɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dealing
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. business relations

noun · CEFR B2

the business activities or relationships you have with a person or organization.

For teachers: commercial or professional interactions and transactions between parties. Usually plural in this sense.

- The company is known for its honest dealings with local farmers.
- The investigation uncovered a series of suspicious financial dealings between the subsidiary and several offshore accounts.

Usage: Almost always used in the plural form 'dealings' when referring to business or professional relationships.

### 2. personal behavior

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the way you treat other people in your daily life.

For teachers: the manner of acting toward others; personal conduct or treatment of people.

- He was famous for his fair dealing and kindness to his staff.
- Her reputation for straight dealing made her a respected figure in a community often plagued by petty corruption.

Usage: Often used in the singular to describe a specific quality of character, such as 'fair dealing'.

### 3. handling or distributing

verb · CEFR B1

the action of managing a problem, or giving out cards in a game.

For teachers: the present participle or gerund of 'deal', referring to the act of managing a situation or distributing items.

- Dealing with difficult customers requires a lot of patience.
- After dealing the final hand of the tournament, the croupier stepped back to allow the players to calculate their remaining chips.

## Examples

- I always have fair dealing with my local bank.
- The company is known for its honest dealing with suppliers, which has built a strong reputation in the industry over many years.
- The investigation focused on the politician's private financial dealings, specifically looking for any evidence of a conflict of interest during the contract negotiations.

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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.