Word
haggle
Phoneticshag·gle, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhæɡəɫ/
UK/hˈæɡəl/
Definition
v. to discuss the price of something to try to make it lower. You use it in markets or small shops where prices are not fixed.
v. to negotiate over price or terms through repeated offers and counteroffers, usually to obtain a lower price.
Examples
“They haggle over the price of vegetables.”
“At the street market, she haggles with the seller for ten minutes to get a better price for the rug.”
“Experienced travellers know when to haggle firmly yet politely, recognising that prolonged bargaining can secure a fair price without offending the vendor.”
Examples
simple
“They haggle over the price of vegetables.”
contextual
“At the street market, she haggles with the seller for ten minutes to get a better price for the rug.”
complex
“Experienced travellers know when to haggle firmly yet politely, recognising that prolonged bargaining can secure a fair price without offending the vendor.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “haggle” in context.
Verb
01. buyer haggle
“Experienced buyers haggle calmly and never show too much interest.”
noun + verb
02. customer haggle
“In this bazaar, customers haggle openly with every stallholder.”
noun + verb
Adjective
03. haggle endlessly
“Some tourists love to haggle endlessly just for fun.”
verb + adv
04. haggle fiercely
“The two men haggled fiercely for ten minutes over the rug.”
verb + adv
05. haggle hard
“In the souk, my father taught me to haggle hard for every souvenir.”
verb + adv
Noun
06. haggle for discount
“He always haggles for a discount when buying electronics.”
verb + prep + noun
07. haggle over price
“They spent twenty minutes haggling over the price of the carpet.”
verb + prep + noun
08. be prepared to haggle
“If you visit the bazaar, be prepared to haggle.”
09. don't be afraid to haggle
“Don't be afraid to haggle; the sellers expect it here.”
10. haggle down the price
“She managed to haggle down the price from $50 to $30.”
11. haggle hard for a discount
“In small shops, it is normal to haggle hard for a discount.”
12. haggle over the price
“We haggled over the price for half an hour before agreeing on $30.”
Usage
The verb is usually intransitive and takes 'over', 'about', or 'for' to mark the price or item.
Etymology
1570s, "to cut unevenly" (implied in haggler), frequentative of Middle English haggen (“to chop”), variant of hacken (“to hack”), equivalent to hack + -le. Sense of "argue about price" first recorded c.1600, probably from notion of chopping away.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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