Word
negotiation
Phoneticsne·go·ti·a·tion
US/nɪˌɡoʊʃiˈeɪʃən/
UK/nɪɡˈəʊʃɪˈeɪʃən/
Definition
n. a formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement. You use this when two sides have different goals but want to find a solution together.
n. a formal discussion intended to produce an agreement or settlement between parties with differing interests. Often used in the plural to describe the process as a whole.
Examples
“The contract is currently under negotiation.”
“After weeks of intense negotiation, the two companies finally agreed on a fair price for the merger.”
“The success of the peace treaty depended on a delicate negotiation of territorial boundaries that had been disputed for decades.”
Examples
simple
“The contract is currently under negotiation.”
contextual
“After weeks of intense negotiation, the two companies finally agreed on a fair price for the merger.”
complex
“The success of the peace treaty depended on a delicate negotiation of territorial boundaries that had been disputed for decades.”
Usage
Often used with the prepositions 'with' (the party) and 'for' or 'over' (the object of the discussion).
Pitfall
They are in negotiation about of the price
They are in negotiation over the price
While 'about' is understood, 'over' or 'for' are the standard collocations when discussing the subject of the deal.
Real-World Examples
Common in business writing
“Unfortunately, negotiations that could put an end to the strike don’t appear to be getting very far.” “The next round of negotiations are scheduled for March 2027, marking an unusually long period of 18 months between the talks.” “Officials say most of the protesters’ demands have been accepted and that they are open to more negotiations.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French négociation, or from Latin negotiatio (“the carrying on of business, a wholesale business”), from negotiari (“to carry on business”); see negotiate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.