BARGAINING Synonyms: 83 Similar and Opposite Words

bargaining 1 of 2

noun

as in negotiation

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bargaining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of bargain

as in negotiating

to talk over or dispute the terms of a purchase they bargained with the car salesman for half an hour before settling on a price

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in agreeing

to come to an arrangement as to a course of action I really hadn't bargained on buying a whole case of Girl Scout cookies, just a couple of boxes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in arranging

to bring about through discussion and compromise bargained the price of the painting down to a figure that the artist could still live with

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bargaining

Noun

However, the threat of taking California to the Supreme Court may be enough to bring the state’s AG Rob Bonta back to the bargaining table. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 And neither side is inclined to move much this early in bargaining. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The announcement, which came during a contract bargaining session in July, led to frustrations within the company’s editorial union, which says the Times is violating its own editorial standards around AI use. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 23 Aug. 2026 During the offseason, the league and the WNBA Players Association reached a landmark collective-bargaining agreement resulting in a 400 percent increase, on average, in player salaries. — Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2026 Mamdani has said under New York labor rules known as the Taylor Law, pay must be negotiated at the bargaining table, not through Council legislation. — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026 The bargaining history shows collective action is what moves us forward. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Farmer producer organizations—collectives of small and marginal farmers—also have the potential to bolster farmers’ bargaining power, access alternative markets, and aid agricultural earnings. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026 The city held its first bargaining session with the fire department on the same day the police agreement was announced. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026

Verb

The California Gig Workers Union hopes to begin bargaining by the end of the year, CalMatters reported. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 Alongside promotions and deadlines, many young women are also privately bargaining with time and their bodies. — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026 This comes several days after Stanford football players created a campus chapter of the College Football Players Association, with the goal of collectively bargaining with the ACC. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2026 No deployment date has been set for Hyundai’s Korean plants at all, so the union is bargaining pre-emptively, trying to lock in protections before the humanoid robots show up rather than after. — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 The restaurant’s cliff divers, magicians, puppeteers and roving performers have been bargaining with management for more than a year, after officially voting to unionize in November 2024. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 9 July 2026 The ruling also reflected Sotomayor’s reasoning that owners and players were still bargaining in good faith and that salary policies were mandatory subjects of bargaining. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026 If an employer chooses to grant recognition, no election takes place, and the parties begin bargaining a contract that sets standards for wages, working conditions and benefits. — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 The curbing of telework comes as a blow to SEIU Local 1000, the only state worker union bargaining a new contract with the Newsom administration this year. — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bargaining

Noun

Iceland is headed toward rejecting a referendum that would have restarted negotiations to join the European Union more than a decade after previous talks died, the national broadcaster reported Sunday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
The report, however, notes that Uthmeier was in a position of authority over the aides leading the negotiations.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of negotiation

Verb

Furthermore, relationships themselves teach basic psychological capacities such as regulating emotions, tolerating disappointment, and negotiating differences—skills which therapy is supposed to cultivate.

— David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Iran and Oman are negotiating a deal to temporarily open the strait.

— Greg Myre, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of negotiating

Verb

The Philadelphia 76ers had plans last year to build a Center City arena before agreeing to a new arena with the Philadelphia Flyers across the street from their current site in the stadium complex.

— Zach Berman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The board had scheduled a vote on Alston’s fate last week, but a judge intervened, agreeing that Alston was legally entitled to mediation.

— Rafael Olmeda, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of agreeing

Verb

Paltrow is also friendly with OpenAI’s vice president of global creative partnerships, Charles Porch, who the Times reports was central to arranging the dinner in his boss’ honor.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Are practical barriers, such as transportation or arranging for care outside the facility, influencing the decision not to consider screening more than her own values or medical condition?

— Kim Johnson, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of arranging

Noun

Higgins was also there in person to witness the bargain go down and the specific number — 10 — of dates reached.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
With companies in the SOX growing forward earnings per share at an annual rate of about 70%, Arya thinks the SOX multiple looks like a bargain.

— Tobias Burns, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of bargain

Verb

Even at the top of the roster, hanging on to Trey Hendrickson rather than dealing him in March.

— Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
The impact of yesterday’s sharp drop in South Korean equities transmitted further into US markets overnight, spreading selling sentiment and dealing heavy blows to US semiconductor and memory stocks.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dealing

Noun

After some spirited haggling at a public hearing, Star City Council members on July 7 approved a development plan for a commercial center on the northeast corner of Highway 44 between North Moyle Avenue and Plummer Road.

— Noah Daly July 15, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2026
No negotiating, no haggling, no surprises.

— Rancho Santa Fe Review, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026

Definition of haggling

Noun

Mirramezani said roughly a sixth of Iran’s non-oil exports also go to the UAE, while Dubai has long been an important hub for Iranian financial transactions.

— Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Once the immediate transactions are done, this is really the task that will define much of the new GM’s first year.

— Max Bultman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026